Prof. Dr Gorlitzer, Patient, Dr.Folkman - Vienna Heart Center
How it All Began - The “Clicking Chest Bone” Problem
Post-heart surgery patients had a clicking breastbone that required urgent surgery if not resolved
One of the primary complications following open-heart surgery is that the sternum (breastbone) does not knit properly. This is, unfortunately, quite common because it is a difficult bone to stabilize. The constant, natural movement of the chest area can result in inflammation which leads to complications. And coughing and other abrupt movements can rip the two halves of the bone apart while they are still not fully healed, requiring urgent re-operation.
The three patients with a clicking bone
In 2008, the Heart Center in Vienna had three patients with a postoperative clicking chest bone. If not resolved, all three would need to be re-operated on, and their chests opened up again.
Prof. Dr. Michael Gorlitzer of the Cardiac Center in Vienna decided to perform a clinical trial. It was thus that the Biomechanical Institute of the Vienna General Hospital, under the guidance of Prof. Manfred Bijack, began a study to test the effects of intrathoracic pressure (pressure inside the thorax) on the sternum.
Part of the study sought to determine the probability of a postoperative clicking sternum being healed without reoperation.
The patented and medically approved Posthorax vest prevents movement of the sternum halves after an operation. This allows the bone to heal in a stabilized manner. It works much like a cast that holds any other bone in place to ensure a strong bone union after a fracture.
After testing over 1,000 patients in a Controlled Randomized Study, the improvement was found to be significant. The results began a whole new era for open-heart surgery postoperative care in Vienna.
As for the three clicking-bone patients, all of them recovered without the need for re-operation.
Award-winning results
The Hietzing Cardiac Center in Vienna subsequently won the Innovation Award of the City of Vienna in 2009 for its outstanding performance in patient care as a result of the study. Since then, they continue to use this support vest on all patients, with enormous success.
The vest is particularly important for patients with a high risk of instability such as:
- Patients with weak bones
- Patients with osteoporosis
- Patients with COPD (Chronic Pulmonary Disease) which can lead to powerful coughing
- Overweight patients (the excessive weight can put excessive strain on the sternum bone while healing)
