Comparison of postoperative exercise capacity of patients who underwent sternal closure with SternaLock Blu and those with traditional sternal wire closure following cardiovascular surgery via sternotomy

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative exercise capacity of SternaLock Blu (Zimmer Biomet, USA) for post-sternotomy patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery. METHODS: We investigated 116 patients, including 35 women (mean age 70.3 ± 10.0 years), who underwent cardiovascular surgery by median sternotomy. Patients were candidate for using SternaLock Blu, such as obesity (body mass index > 30/kg/m(2)), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, steroid administrating, undergoing coronary bypass artery grafting used bilateral internal thoracic artery. These patients were categorized into those with SternaLock Blu (S group, n = 47) or with sternal wires only (N group, n = 69) for closing sternotomy, and their data were analyzed. RESULTS: Max Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS) was significantly low in the S group than in the N group (N vs. S = 2.7 ± 1.4 vs. 1.6 ± 1.7%, p < 0.001). Postoperative 6-min walk was significantly longer in the S group than in the N group (N vs. S = 346.2 ± 101.6 vs. 408.6 ± 104.6 m, p = 0.018). The length of intensive care unit (N vs. S = 4.9 ± 0.9 vs. 4.0 ± 1.2 days, p < 0.001) and hospitalization (N vs. S = 18.0 ± 5.0 vs. 15.2 ± 3.8 days, p = 0.006) were significantly shorter in the S group than in the N group. CONCLUSIONS: SternaLock Blu could keep exercise capacity, and might help reduce postoperative pain and medical treatment period for patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery.