Sternotomy with electrocautery and sternal wound infection in congenital heart surgery in patients under 1 year of age

Abstract

Objective The present study aimed to compare the rate of wound site infection in patients <1 year of age who underwent sternotomy using electrocautery, a routinely performed procedure in our clinic, with those reported in the literature.

Methods This double-center study included patients In our study, seven patients developed SSI, which was superficial in six (1.3%) patients and in the form of mediastinitis in one (0.2%) patient.

Conclusion Sternotomy with electrocautery, which we consider an easy and safe method, was also not found to be statistically different from the other methods in terms of SWI.