David Santer

Due to the advent of interventional therapies for low- and intermediate-risk patients, case complexity has increased in cardiac surgery over the last decades. Despite the surgical progress achieved to keep up with the increase in the number of high-risk patients, the prevention of sternal complications remains a challenge requiring new, individualized sternal closure techniques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility, as well as the in-hospital and long-term outcomes, of enhanced sternal closure with combined band and plate fixation using the new SternaLock® 360 (SL360) system as an alternative to sternal wiring. From 2020 to 2022, 17 patients underwent enhanced sternal closure using the SL360 at our institution. We analyzed perioperative data, as well as clinical and radiologic follow-up data. The results were as follows: In total, 82% of the patients were treated with the SL360 based on perioperative risk factors, while in 18% of cases, the SL360 was used for secondary closure due to sternal instability. No perioperative complications were observed. We obtained the follow-up data of 82% of the patients (median follow-up time: 141 (47.8 to 511.5) days), showing no surgical revision, no sternal instability, no deep wound infections, and no sternal pain at the follow-up. In one case, a superficial wound infection was treated with antibiotics. In conclusion, enhanced sternal closure with the SL360 is easy to perform, effective, and safe. This system might be considered for both primary and secondary sternal closure in patients at risk of sternal complications.