[Treatment of postoperative mediastinitis with sucrose]

The authors describe the treatment of postoperative mediastinitis in cardiosurgery by the open method with local sucrose administration and subsequent delay of closure of the thorax. Universal antibacterial properties of sucrose are made use of. Sucrose dissolves in the wound in its crystalline form and creates a medium with low aqueous activity (high osmolarity), which inhibits bacterial growth. The wound is rapidly cleansed, the secretion from the wound is within 10 days bacteriologically negative and the chest can be closed secondarily. Simple resuture of the wound was performed four times, a plastic operation using the pectoral muscles twice and in one instance it was closed by a plastic operation of the transposed rectus abdominis muscle. The method was used successfully in seven patients.