Closed-incision negative pressure therapy as a strategy to reduce sternal wound infection in identified high-risk patients: a multicentre propensity matched study.

Objectives: The premise of this retrospective study was to evaluate the intraoperative use of closed-incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) to help reduce the incidence of postoperative sternal wound infections in multimorbid patients with an elevated risk of developing a sternal wound infection post cardiac surgery versus a cohort that received standard-of-care dressings.

Methods: Data for all adult patients were collected from each cardiothoracic surgery unit across 3 hospitals in the United Kingdom. High-risk patients had 2 or more recognized risk factors.

The impact of closed incision negative pressure therapy on prevention of median sternotomy infection for high risk cases: a single centre retrospective study.

Background: Sternal wound infection (SWI) following cardiothoracic surgery is a major complication. It may significantly impact patient recovery, treatment cost and mortality rates. No universal guideline exists on SWI management, and more recently the focus has become prevention over treatment.