Sternotomy is a routine surgical pathway for heart, lung, and mediastinal surgery. Poststernotomy dehiscence is a common complication of sternotomy, in which infection after poststernotomy dehiscence is one of the most serious postoperative complications in cardiothoracic surgery. Previously, conventional dressing, negative pressure wound therapy, and skin stretching device were used in the treatment of poststernotomy dehiscence, but the outcome of each single method was poor, which caused great pain and burden to the patients and their families. In recent years, tissue flap containing rich blood supply has drawn a lot of attention because of its good wound cover, stable thoracic reconstruction, low infection recurrence rate, and less postoperative complication. In this paper, we reviewed the epidemiological characteristics of poststernotomy dehiscence, and summarized the various classifications for poststernotomy dehiscence and the therapeutic effects of different tissue flap repair. We hope that this review would provide a basis for further construction of the treatment system for poststernotomy dehiscence and the formation of a treatment guideline.

Sternotomy; Infection; Surgical flaps