Cardiothoracic
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Trowbridge CC, Stammers AH, Woods E, et al. Use of platelet gel and its effects on infection in cardiac surgery. JECT 2005;37:381-86.
Summary: 382 patients undergoing cardiac procedures received application of platelet gel during the surgical procedure. These patients were compared to a control group (n=948) and a historical control group (n=929) for the presence of postoperative superficial or deep sternal wound infections. The platelet gel group had significantly less incidences of superficial and deep sternal wound infections then both the control and historical control groups.
Quotation: "In conclusion, the application of platelet gel in patients undergoing cardiac surgery seems to confer a level of protection against infection."
Khalafi RS, Bradford DW, Wilson MG. Topical application of autologous blood products during surgical closure following a coronary artery bypass graft. Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2008 Aug;34(2):360-4.
Summary: This article retrospectively reviewed 1446 consecutive coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. Platelet-rich plasma and platelet-poor plasma (PRP and PPP, respectively – collectively referred to as “ABP,” which stands for “Autolgous Blood Products,” by the authors) was applied on the chest and leg incisions during closure in 571 patients (treatment group), which another group of 557 patients received standard of care treatment (control group). The treatment group had only one case of sternal infection verses 11 cases in the control group. There was also a reduced number of cases of notable drainage from the sternum in the treatment group (3 cases vs. 30 in the control group). For the leg incision site, the treatment group had fewer infections (0 total) compared to the control group (3 total), and also fewer cases of notable drainage (61 in the treatment group vs. 212 in the control group). Propensity analysis revealed that PRP application reduced the odds of chest wound infection by 93%, chest drainage by 96%, and leg wound drainage by 88%. No treatment-related adverse events were reported.
Quotation: “For the 1128 patients that were included in the current study, the use of ABP application during surgical closure following CABG was seen to be a safe technique that significantly reduced the chances for postoperative infection of the sternum and postoperative wound drainage of the chest and leg incisions.”