Tracheostomy After Cardiac Surgery With Median Sternotomy and Risk of Deep Sternal Wound Infections: Is It a Matter of Timing?

Objective: To assess the impact of timing of percutaneous dilatational tracheotomy (PDT) on incidence of deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) after cardiac surgery with median sternotomy.

Design: Retrospective study between 2003 and 2013.

Setting: Single-center university hospital.

Participants: Eight hundred seventy-nine patients after cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation and median sternotomy.

Interventions: PDT using the Ciaglia-technique with direct bronchoscopic guidance.

Measurement and main results: Mean time from surgery and (re)intubation to PDT was 6.7±9.9 and 3.8±3.3 days, respectively. Incidence of DSWI was 3.9% (34/879). The incidence of DSWI was comparable between patients with PDT performed before postoperative day (POD) 10 and those with PDT after POD 10 (29/755 [3.8%] v 5/124 [4.0%], p = n.s.). However, the authors observed an association of timing of PDT and DSWI: The incidence of DSWI was significantly higher in patients with PDT performed≤POD 1 compared to those with PDT after POD 2 (12/184 [6.52%] v 22/695 [3.16%], p = 0.046). In multivariate analysis, obesity, use of bilateral internal mammary arteries, ICU stay>30 days and PDT<48 hours after surgery (OR 3.519, 95% CI 1.242-9.976, p = 0.0018) were independent predictors of DSWI. In 15/34 patients (44.1%), similarity of microorganisms between sternotomy site and tracheal cultures was observed, indicating a possible cross-contamination.

Conclusions: PDT within the first 10 postoperative days after cardiac surgery with median sternotomy can be performed safely without an increased risk of DSWI. In contrast, very early PDT within 48 hours after surgery is associated with an increased risk of mediastinitis and should, therefore, be avoided.