文摘
Deep sternal wound infection involving the anterior mediastinum after cardiac surgery, i.e. poststernotomy mediastinitis (PSM) is a life-threating complication. It is a multifactorial and complicated disease with various disciplines contributing to the diagnostics and treatment. Because various therapeutic options are available, which are often based on the experiences of individual centers, the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG) in cooperation with the Swiss Society of Cardiac and Vascular Thoracic Surgery (SGHC) developed evidence and consensus-based guidelines for the management of mediastinitis after cardiac surgery. By involving the expertise of all specialists participating in the diagnostics and treatment of PSM, S3 medical guidelines have been compiled according to the standards of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF) to improve the medical treatment of patients with PSM. This article describes the aims and methodological procedures of these guidelines.KeywordsGuidelines as topicProgram developmentPatient care managementEvidence-based medicineRecommendations, health planning