Frank C. Spencer

TL;DR: A history of peripheral or cerebrovascular disease, presence of aortic calcification, cardiac risk factors, age and duration of cardiopulmonary bypass did not predict stroke, and patients with protruding atheromas with mobile components were at highest risk.

TL;DR: From a series of 2,594 patients undergoing open-heart surgery, 39 patients had sternal or costochondral infections, most of which were associated with a number of predisposing factors: prolonged perfusion time, excessive postoperative bleeding, depressed cardiac output in the postoperative period, and a history of re-exploration for the control of hemorrhage.

TL;DR: Analysis of the results of different treatment strategies revealed that if debridement was accomplished within 20 days of the initial cardiac procedure, 76% of the patients could be successfully treated with closed antibiotic irrigation, and if treatment was delayed for longer than 20 days, 81% of patients were treated with open granulation.

TL;DR: The risk of sternal infection is increased by the use of an internal mammary artery graft, especially use of double mammary grafts in the presence of diabetes.

TL;DR: Nonoperative management of blunt splenic injuries has replaced splenorrhaphy as the most common method of splenic conservation, and the criteria have been extended to include patients previously excluded from this form of therapy.