First experience with a new negative pressure incision management system on surgical incisions after cardiac surgery in high risk patients

The Prevena？incision management system was used in 10 patients with a mean Fowler risk score of 15.1 [Range 8-30]. The negative pressure dressing was applied immediately after surgery and left in place for 5 days with a continuous application of -125 mmHg negative pressure. Wounds and surrounding skin were inspected immediately after removal of the Prevena？ incision management system and at day 30 after surgery.Wounds and surrounding skin showed complete wound healing with the absence of skin lesions due to the negative pressure after removal of the Prevena？ dressing. No device-related complications were observed. No wound complications occurred in this high risk group of patients until at least 30 days after surgery.The Prevena？system appears to be safe, easy to use and may help achieve uncomplicated wound healing in patients at risk of developing wound complications after cardiothoracic surgery.The incidence of sternal wound infection (SWI) after cardiac surgery ranges from 1-10% depending on the definitions applied and the subset of the population analyzed [1,2]. Despite the use of prophylactic systemic antibiotics, postoperative sternal wound infection still occurs in some circumstances and it continues to be a serious problem after surgical cardiac procedures. Sternal wound infection is associated with significant reduction in quality of life, additional expenses increased length of stay in the hospital and in an increased mortality during the first year [1,3-5]. It has been estimated that SWI may almost triple the costs for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft [4-8]; additional costs of up to 80.000 USD have been reported [9].It has been shown that there is an increased risk of infection in patients presenting with diabetes, smoking, obesity, harvesting of bilateral internal mammary arteries, increasing number of grafts, peripheral vascular disease, renal failure, chronic pulmonary disease, increased duration of mechanical ventilation and preoperat