Predictors of prolonged hospitalization in modified sternoplasty following postoperative mediastinitis

Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a serious complication following cardiac surgery, and demands early intervention as any delay in diagnosis and management may lead to increased morbidity and mortality. DSWI is associated with increased length of hospitalization (LOH) and economic burden in this patient population. The aim of this study was to determine predictors for increased length of hospitalization in patients who underwent the Modified Sternoplasty technique for deep sternal wound infection following cardiac surgery.

A retrospective study was undertaken on data from patients who underwent the Modified Sternoplasty surgery for DSWI between September 2010 and January 2020. Patients' characteristics that were recorded included medical history, type of the original heart surgery, length of hospitalizations, and risk factors including hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus and hypertension, and morbidity and mortality rates following the Modified Sternoplasty.

Sixty-eight patients underwent the Modified Sternoplasty surgery with an average length of hospitalization of 24.63 + 22.09 days. Multivariable analysis showed that only gender was considered a predictor of length of hospitalization when controlling for comorbidities, with average length of hospitalization longer for women than men (35.4 vs. 20.9, p = .04).

The Modified Sternoplasty surgery is a novel surgical technique for managing DSWI complicated by sternal dehiscence with exposed heart and great vessels. Female gender was associated with increased length of hospitalization in our patient cohort, with average length of hospitalization for women almost twice that of males.