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3.13.6 - Mediastinitis

from Section 3.13 - Severe Trauma and Multiple Injuries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

Ned Gilbert-Kawai
Affiliation:
The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Debashish Dutta
Affiliation:
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow
Carl Waldmann
Affiliation:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
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Summary

Key Learning Points

  1. 1. Mediastinitis is an infection of the whole or part of the mediastinum.

  2. 2. The mediastinum lies between the right and left pleura. It extends from the posterior aspect of the sternum to the anterior surfaces of the vertebral bodies, and contains all the thoracic viscera, except the lungs.

  3. 3. Mediastinitis is usually a result of instrumentation, trauma or surgery.

  4. 4. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be commenced as soon as possible, with both Gram-positive and Gram-negative cover included.

  5. 5. Mediastinitis is associated with a significant increase in mortality (11–35 per cent) and a prolonged hospital stay.

Type
Chapter
Information
Intensive Care Medicine
The Essential Guide
, pp. 411 - 414
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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References

References and Further Reading

Athanassiadi, KA. Infections of the mediastinum. Thorac Surg Clin 2009;19:3745.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
El Oakley, RM, Wright, JE. Postoperative mediastinitis: classification and management. Ann Thoracic Surg 1996;61:1030–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ennker, IC, Ennker, JC. Management of sterno-mediastinitis. HSR Proc Intensive Care Cardiovasc Anesth 2012;4:233–41.Google ScholarPubMed

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