Obese Cardiac Patients

Significant Reduction of Deep Sternal Wound Complications by Wearing The Posthorax Vest

---

Obese cardiac patients often experience significant sternal wound complications following surgery, which can lead to increased healthcare costs and extended recovery periods. To address this pressing issue, researchers at Universitätsmedizin Mainz in Germany conducted a pivotal study examining the effectiveness of the PosthoraxTM vest in reducing these complications.

The study, conducted from August 2014 to July 2015, involved 129 elective obese patients with a BMI over 30 kg/m², who wore the PosthoraxTM vest prior to surgery. Strict adherence to wearing the vest was essential, with non-compliant patients excluded from the study. A control group of 131 similar patients who did not wear the vest served as a comparison.

Findings revealed a striking difference in complication rates: the vest group experienced a deep sternal wound complication rate of only 4.7% (6 patients), while the control group faced a rate of 10.7% (14 patients). Both groups were comparable in terms of BMI, age, operative time, and ventilator duration. Notably, the vest-wearing patients had shorter ICU stays and mobilized earlier (p<0.0001).

While the differences in recovery raise questions about group comparability, the study’s results support the PosthoraxTM vest’s potential in halving complication rates. Although further research is warranted to explore its broader implications, the vest is now routinely applied to every obese patient undergoing median sternotomy to mitigate the risks of postoperative sternal complications.

Link to Study: https://academic.oup.com/icvts/article/23/6/957/2687751?login=false