Surgical treatment of deep sternotomy infection caused by residual pacing lead: 78 cases analysis

Objective To analysis and summarize the experience of surgical treatment of deep sternal infection caused by residual epicardial pacing. Methods Retrospective analysis of 78 patients with deep incision infection due to residual epicardial pacing lead after heart disease were selected from the Seventh Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from May 2014 to December 2018. Including 47 males and 31 females, aged 3-72 years old. 38 patients with heart valve surgery(including 18 cases with aortic valvuloplasty, 9 cases with aortic valve replacement, 11 cases with double valve replacement), 14 cases with coronary artery bypass grafting, 26 cases with congenital heart disease surgery(10 cases with atrial septal defect repairment, 11 cases with ventricular septal defect repairment, 5 cases with complex malformation surgery). All patients were infected with sternal incision due to incomplete extraction of the cardiac pacing lead, and treated with the muscle flap turnover operation. The treatment time was 1-5 years after the cardiac surgery in 32 cases, and 46 cases in 1 year. Results There was no death in the study. 70 cases were cured in stageⅠ, 5 cases in stageⅡ, and 3 cases were cured after re-operation. 71 cases were followed up for 1 year, there was no recurrence of wound infection. Conclusion The operation of pectoralis major muscle flap turnover has opened up a new approach for the treatment of thoracic incision infection caused by residual epicardial pacing lead after cardiac surgery, and it is worth popularizing in clinical practice. Key words: Cardiac surgical procedure; Deep sternal infection; Pectoralis major muscle flap inversion plasty