Prevention of surgical site sternal infections in cardiac surgery: a two-centre prospective randomized controlled study.

Objectives: Surgical site infection (SSI) of the sternum is a devastating complication in cardiac surgery. The aim of this prospective randomized controlled two-centre clinical study was to compare the use of a gentamicin-collagen sponge (Genta-Coll® resorb) and of a cyanoacrylate-based microbial skin sealant (InteguSeal®) on the SSI rate of the sternum.

Methods: We analysed data from 996 consecutive patients following isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 2012 and 2014.