INTRODUÇÃO: mediastinites pós-esternotomia para cirurgia cardíaca não são freqüentes (0,2% a 5,0%), porém, quando surgem, se tornam potencialmente graves. Mesmo com o diagnóstico e tratamento precoces, o prognóstico não é bom, sobretudo se houver sepse e outros agravos à saúde associados. OBJETIVO: rever a casuística de casos de mediastinite. MÉTODO: foram analisados os prontuários de 2.272 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardíaca entre 1991 e 2000. Todas as operações foram realizadas através de esternotomia mediana longitudinal e circulação extracorpórea no Hospital João XXIII / Instituto de Cirurgia Cardiovascular da Paraíba de Campina Grande (Paraíba). RESULTADOS: a mediastinite ocorreu, em média, 10 dias após a cirurgia, num total de 37 (1,6%) casos, com taxa de letalidade 21,6% (n=8). A maioria (n=19; 51,4%) dos casos foi em pacientes submetidos a revascularização do miocárdio, seguidos pelos procedimentos valvares (n=13; 35,1%), correções de cardiopatias congênitas (n=4; 10,8%) e aneurisma de aorta ascendente (n=1; 2,7%). Vários fatores de risco foram identificados (obesidade, tempo de permanência hospitalar prolongado, diabetes mellitus, tabagismo, reoperações e cirurgias de emergência), especialmente a permanência (por mais de 72 horas no pré-operatório) em unidade de terapia intensiva. A cultura do exsudato foi positiva em 35 (94,6%) dos 37 pacientes, sendo o Staphylococcus aureus o patógeno mais observado em 17 (48,6%). CONCLUSÕES: a freqüência de mediastinite pós-cirurgias cardíaca, com esternotomia associada, é semelhante à descrita na literatura, não tem diminuído no decorrer dos anos, por isto continua representando um desafio para os cirurgiões e equipes, apesar do arsenal diagnóstico e terapêutico atuais.
INTRODUCTION: Mediastinitis is a rare though potentially fatal complication. The incidence is reported to be between 0.2% and 5.0% and is a major cause of postoperative morbidity. Despite early diagnosis and proper treatment, prognosis is poor because of the chance of mediastinal spread of the infection and poor physical state of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To review the casuistic of mediastinites. METHOD: The records of all 2,272 patients who underwent cardiac surgical procedures between 1991 and 2000 were reviewed. All operations were performed using longitudinal sternotomy and extracorporeal circulation in João XXIII Hospital / Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery of Paraíba in Campina Grande, Paraíba. RESULTS: The complication occurred within, on average, 10 days after operation. In total of 37 (1.6%), 8 (21.6%) deaths occurred. Mediastinitis were reported in 19 (51.4%) cases, in patients submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting, 13 (35.1%) in valve diseases, 4 (10.8%) in congenital cardiopathy corrections and 1 (2.7%) in ascending aortic aneurysm. Several risk factors mediastinitis were identified (obesity, prolonged stay in hospital, diabetes mellitus, smoking, reoperation and emergency surgery), especially the prolonged stay in intensive-care unit for more then 72 hours before cardiac...

A 16-year-old female patient, with a congenital heart defect (interatrial communication) underwent heart surgery. She evolved with complications in the immediate postoperative period with sudden hemorrhagic hypotension and progressive loss of sight in both eyes. In the postoperative period there was a high intraocular pressure and optic disk edema. Optic atrophy and irreversible bilateral blindness was confirmed 21 days after heart surgery despite treatment. In two years of follow-up, the patient is completely blind with irreversible optic atrophy. Descriptors Amaurose bilateral irreversível pós-cirurgia cardíacaIrreversible bilateral amaurosis after heart surgery 321 SOUZA, VC ET AL -Irreversible bilateral amaurosis after heart surgery Braz

A 16-year-old female patient, with a congenital heart defect (interatrial communication) underwent heart surgery. She evolved with complications in the immediate postoperative period with sudden hemorrhagic hypotension and progressive loss of sight in both eyes. In the postoperative period there was a high intraocular pressure and optic disk edema. Optic atrophy and irreversible bilateral blindness was confirmed 21 days after heart surgery despite treatment. In two years of follow-up, the patient is completely blind with irreversible optic atrophy. Descriptors: Amaurosis. Blindness. Cardiac surgical procedures, adverse effects. Postoperative complications. Optic nerve diseases, etiology. SOUZA, VC ET AL -Irreversible bilateral amaurosis after heart surgery Braz