Comparison of Surgical Wound Infection Etiology in Patients Treated with Short-Term Pulsatile Mechanical Circulatory Support, Receiving Heart Transplant, or Undergoing Other Cardiac Surgery Procedure

Purpose Treatment using of short-term pulsatile mechanical circulatory support (MSC) is often realized in units that are common for all patients undergoing cardiac surgery (CS), including orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Aim of the study was to compare the etiology of surgical wound infection among patients receiving MCS treatment, OHT, or standard CS procedure. Methods and Materials A retrospective analysis of wound infections was performed in 8998 patients undergoing CS in years 2007-2012: 5 patients treated with MCS (23M/2F, 41.2±15y/o, 21LVAD/4BIVAD), 195 OHT recipients (128M/67F, 44.4±17y/o), and 8778 patients undergoing remaining CS procedures (6116M/2662F, 62.0±12y/o). A comparison of wound infection frequency as well as specific pathogens occurrence among MSC, OHT and CS patients was performed for the whole period of observation and for each year separately. Results Superficial wound infections were found in 6(24%) MCS patients, 8(4.1%) OHT recipients, and 97(1.1%) CS patients (p Conclusions Despite localization in the same hospital unit MCS and other CS patients don’t share the same etiology of wound infections. Gram-negative flora is predominant in MCS patients, while typical Gram-positive skin flora is more frequent source of infection in OHT and CS patients.