Vacuum-assisted suction drainage versus conventional treatment in the management of poststernotomy osteomyelitis

Objective: The purpose of our study was to compare vacuum-assisted suction drainage (VASD) to conventional wound management, in the treatment of poststernotomy osteomyelitis (SOM). Methods: We included a total of 42 patients that developed poststernotomy osteomyelitis and required open wound management, between 1998 and 2000, in this study. Twenty of these patients were treated by VASD and the other 22 by conventional wound management. The patients were well comparable with regards to age, presenting postoperative day, infecting organism and risk factors for osteomyelitis. This was a retrospective study. Results: The patients treated by VASD had a significantly reduced treatment duration (mean 17.2 +/- 5.8 vs. 22.9 +/- 10.8 days, P = 0.009) and total hospital stay (mean 27.2 +/- 6.5 vs. 33.0 +/- 11.0 days, P = 0.03). Perioperative mortality was similar, with one early death in each group. Conclusion: We conclude from our experience in the treatment of 42 patients with poststernotomy osteomyelitis that VASD shortened wound healing and hospital stay and thus proved to be an excellent alternative to conventional open management of these wounds. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.