Sternocutaneous fistulas after cardiac surgery: incidence and late outcome during a ten-year follow-up.
BACKGROUND: Sternocutaneous fistulas (SCFs) after cardiac surgery represent a complex surgical problem involving multiple hospital admissions, prolonged antibiotic treatment, and repeated debridements. Our objective was to identify the incidence of and risk factors for SCF, and to evaluate long-term survival. METHODS: A total of 12,297 patients underwent sternotomy for cardiac surgery between Janu
