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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Rep 2020; 09(01): e29-e32
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1713731
Case Report: Cardiac
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Successful Treatment of Driveline Infection with Vacuum-Assisted Closure Therapy and Instillation Therapy

Juliane Kilo
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Regional University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
,
Julia Dumfarth
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Regional University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
,
Daniel Höfer
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Regional University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
,
Michael Grimm
1   Department of Cardiac Surgery, Regional University Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

03 September 2019

22 December 2019

Publication Date:
12 October 2020 (online)

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Abstract

Background Driveline infection is a serious complication in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients. We report the case of a patient who was successfully treated by combining instillation and vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) therapy.

Case Description A 65-year-old LVAD patient presented with recurrent driveline infection. Local therapy with VAC therapy in combination with instillation of polyhexanide was performed for 2 weeks. The patient remains free from infection for twelve months by now.

Conclusion This case is the first to present the combination of polyhexanide instillation with VAC as treatment for driveline infection. This therapy may thus be an option for patients who lack any other surgical option.

Keywords

circulatory assist devices - wound infection - surgery - complications
 

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