ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of delayed sternal closure (DSC) on sternal wound debridement after pediatric cardiac surgery. MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed clinical data of 491 pediatric patients underwent DSC in Guangdong General Hospital between June 2009 and June 2014. There were 333 males and 158 females with age of 1 day to 153.37 (5.68±17.24) months. The rate of sternal wound debridement between the DSC patients and the non-DSC patients was compared. ResultsA total of 454 pediatric patients with DSC initiated in the operation room. And 37 patients with DSC initiated in intensive care unit after emergency sternotomy. A total of 392 patients with delayed sternal closure were discharged. Eight patients gave up treatment for family reasons and 91 patients died. Patients with DSC had higher incidence of sternal wound debridement than the patients with non-DSC did (χ2=6.693, P=0.010). ConclusionDSC is an effective treatment for children with severe cardiac surgery, while it causes higher incidence of sternal wound debridement.
ObjectiveTo analyze clinical outcomes of sutureless technique for patients undergoing surgical correction of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC). MethodsBetween July 2007 and December 2013, 132 consecutive TAPVC patients underwent surgical correction in Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute. Those patients with such associated congenital cardiac anomalies as single ventricle and right atrial isomerism were excluded from this study. All the patients underwent biventricular repair. Preoperatively, all the patients received echocardiography, and most patients received CT scan to know the development of pulmonary veins. Preoperative diagnosis was confirmed by intraoperative exploration. According to different surgical techniques, all the patients were divided to a conventional technique group and a sutureless technique group. In the conventional technique group, there were 69 patients including 54 males (78.3%)and 15 females (21.7%)with their median age of 60 (30, 225)days and median body weight of 4.85 (3.50, 6.35)kg. In the sutureless technique group, there were 63 patients including 48 males (76.20%)and 15 females (23.8%)with their median age of 90 (30, 210)days and median body weight of 4.58 (3.72, 6.20)kg. Follow-up was performed till January 1, 2014. ResultsIn-hospital mortality (4.8% vs. 7.2%, χ2=1.414, P=0.720)and postoperative overall mortality (4.8% vs. 13.0%, χ2=2.733, P=0.098)of the sutureless technique group were both lower than those of the conventional technique group, although there was no statistical difference. Postoperative incidence of pulmonary venous obstruction (PVO)of the sutureless technique group was significantly lower than that of the conventional technique group (1.6% vs. 10.1%, χ2=4.236, P=0.040). Cox proportional-hazards regression showed that conventional technique and preoperative PVO were significant risk factors for postoperative PVO (P=0.023, P=0.016). Conventional technique was not significantly correlated with postoperative mortality (P=0.060). ConclusionSutureless technique can significantly lower postoperative incidence of PVO for patients with supracardiac TAPVC.