Salvatore Maugeri Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit Says Posthorax Vest Reduces Complications

90 Days Observational Study

A study comprising 1009 patients who were observed for 90 days after open-heart surgery in Italy revealed that zero patients experienced severe complications when they used the Posthorax support vest to help them recuperate. In the group that did not wear the vest, 32 severe complications and 10 superficial complications were observed.

The study was carried out by the Salvatore Maugeri Foundation Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit, led by Silvia Di Marco.

Not all sternal (breastbone) stabilization vests are created equal. Incorrectly designed vests can limit movement of the diaphragm and therefore reduce breathing capacity, a major problem for people with lung conditions.

The Posthorax vest was chosen because it does not compromise ventilatory function, is easy to use, reduces pain and discomfort without restricting movement, and it improves the patient’s quality of life.

The most common severe complications after open-heart surgery are:

• Deep wound infection, caused by excessive friction between the two healing halves of the breastbone, which promotes the growth of bacteria internally.

• Bursting open of the wound, technically called dehiscence. This can happen when a patient coughs forcefully, or because of excessive pressure on the wound, often the case in obese or large-breasted patients.

Both of these complications often require re-operation, raising hospital and patient costs to an astronomical level.

Wound complications also raise costs because of the additional need for strong antibiotics and wound-cleaning requirements.

The Posthorax vest reduced these types of complications to zero in this independent, non-industry-funded clinical study.