Mediastinitis and Mycotic Aneurysm oftheAorta after Orthotopic Heart Transplantation

Aftercardiac transplantation, bacterialmediastinitis is a rare butdangerousearlycom-plication. Ofthe 1 13patients whounderwentheartorheart-lung transplantation atourhospitalfromAugust1981 toApril 1989, 8developedpurulentmediastinitis. Treatmentinvolvedsurgical d6bridement, local irrigation, drainage, andhigh-dose systemicanti-biotics. Nopatientdiedofanacutemediastinalinfection.