Post-sternotomy chronic osteomyelitis: is sternal resection always necessary?

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate alternative strategies to the sternal resection in the treatment of post-sternotomy osteomyelitis. We report our experience in the treatment of chronic infection of median sternotomy following open heart surgery without sternal resection.

Methods: A 4-year retrospective study was performed, consisting of 70 patients affected by post-sternotomy sternocutaneous fistulas due to chronic osteomyelitis: 45 patients underwent only medical treatment and 25 underwent steel wire removal and surgical debridement (conservative surgery).

Improved results of the vacuum assisted closure and Nitinol clips sternal closure after postoperative deep sternal wound infection.

Objective: Postoperative deep sternal wound infection is a severe complication of cardiac surgery, with a high mortality rate and a high morbidity rate. The objective of this prospective study is to report our experience with the vacuum assisted closure (VAC) system for the management of deep wound infection. We also devised an innovative closure technique post VAC therapy using thermo reactive clips.

Diagnostic difficulties of Lactobacillus casei bacteraemia in immunocompetent patients: a case report.

Introduction: Lactobacilli are currently proposed as probiotic agents in several dietary products. In blood cultures, they are usually considered as contaminants, but in recent years they have been recognized as causal infectious agents of endocarditis, urinary tract infections, meningitis, intra-abdominal infections and bacteraemia.

Case Presentation: We report a case of Lactobacillus casei bacteraemia in a 66-year-old immunocompetent man with a history of fever of unknown origin.