Candidal mediastinitis successfully treated using vacuum-assisted closure following open-heart surgery

Abstract

Deep sternal wound infections (DSWIs) are an uncommon but serious complication after open-heart surgery. The reported incidence of DSWIs due to Candida albicans is 0.4%, but these infections have an extremely high mortality of 56%. We herein report a rare case of a 79-year old woman who suffered from Candidal DSWI after repeated open-heart surgeries. We treated her with negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT). This is the rare case report that provides evidence that NPWT is a safe and suitable technique for the management of Candidal DSWIs. © 2012 The Author.