HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by McKowen, R. L. Articles by Maher, T. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by McKowen, R. L. Articles by Maher, T. D.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 40, 388-392, Copyright © 1985 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

ARTICLES

Infectious complications and cost-effectiveness of open resuscitation in the surgical intensive care unit after cardiac surgery

RL McKowen, GJ Magovern, GA Liebler, SB Park, JA Burkholder and TD Maher

From July, 1982, to May, 1984, 2,412 patients underwent cardiac surgery. Open resuscitation through a midline sternotomy was performed in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) 88 times in 64 patients one minute to 10 days after admission. There were 49 initial survivors; 31 patients had primary closure in the SICU (Group 1), and 18 patients had delayed closure (Group 2). In Group 1 there was 1 death. Wound infection developed in 2 of the 30 survivors--Escherichia coli in 1 and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 1. The latter required subsequent debridement. In Group 2 there were 8 survivors and no wound infections. Fifteen patients could not be resuscitated because of ventricular arrhythmia (13%), asystole (33%), cardiogenic shock (47%), and tamponade (7%). Only 2 of 38 patients, or 5%, experienced wound infections. This study demonstrates that open resuscitation in the SICU is a safe, rapid, and cost-effective procedure that will allow earlier intervention, diagnosis, and treatment. In no instance was death attributed to wound infection, and at our institution, this method resulted in cost savings of more than $1,000 per patient.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. L. Yap, A. Levine, T. Strang, and J. Dunning Should additional antibiotics or an iodine washout be given to all patients who suffer an emergency re-sternotomy on the cardiothoracic intensive care unit? Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, June 1, 2008; 7(3): 464 - 469. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. P. Charalambous, C. S. Zipitis, and D. J. Keenan Chest Reexploration in the Intensive Care Unit After Cardiac Surgery: A Safe Alternative to Returning to the Operating Theater Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2006; 81(1): 191 - 194. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]