Effect of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis on surgical site infections complicating cardiac surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an optimized policy for antibiotic prophylaxis on surgical site infection (SSI) rates in cardiac surgery.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: Tertiary medical center in Israel.

Surgical site infection rates following cardiac surgery: the impact of a 6-year infection control program.

Background: To evaluate the impact of an infection control program on surgical site infections (SSIs) complicating cardiac operations.

Methods: Prospective cohort study of patients undergoing cardiac operations. Interventions included prospective surveillance, povidone-iodine scrub showers, depilation before surgery, administration of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis in the operating room, and postdischarge follow-up.

Minimal dissection and continuous retrograde cardioplegia for aortic valve replacement in patients with a patent left internal mammary artery bypass graft.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and a patent pedicled internal mammary artery (IMA) is often complicated by a need to dissect and clamp the IMA to achieve optimal myocardial protection. Eliminating this need may simplify and facilitate surgery; hence, a new surgical technique for use in these patients is described.

Methods: Five patients with previous CABG and functioning IMA who required AVR between January 1998 and October 2002 were studied.

The abdominal compartment syndrome as a consequence of penetrating heart injury.

The abdominal compartment syndrome results from gradual increase of intra-abdominal pressure and affects many bodily systems. It is usually associated with abdominal trauma or surgery. We report the first case of this syndrome developing after a penetrating wound to the chest and heart.