Cardiac dilatation after cardiopulmonary bypass: ceramic plate technique for sternal splinting

Intraoperative sternal closure after cardiopulmonary bypass in patients with cardiac dilatation and dysfunction may cause fatal deterioration of their hemodynamics. To avoid this complication, a ceramic plate made from methyl methacrylate was used for sternal splinting. This simple splint can avoid chest wall compression to the overdilated heart, maintaining stable hemodynamics after cardiopulmonary bypass without postoperative respiratory complications or mediastinal infection.