Supportive treatment using a compression garment vest of painful sternal instability following deep surgical wound infection: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Sternal dehiscence and instability poses a significant cause of persistent pain and limited quality of life following hospital discharge for 0.2% to 5% of patients who have undergone median sternotomy for open heart surgery. We report a successful, conservative, supportive long-term therapy of painful sternal non-union using a customized compression garment vest. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of painful sternal instability following open heart surgery in a 74-year-old Caucasian man. The complicating factors of obesity (body mass index of 40), renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and absolute arrhythmia with atrial fibrillation were present. CONCLUSION: A number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of surgical interventions for secondary sternal stabilization, but individual patients may reject this option or may be, for other reasons, no longer operable. The task of primary care physicians and other health care providers is to offer this group of patients an alternative option for pragmatic, inexpensive and effective supportive therapy, of which compression garments are an example.