Routine Primary Sternal Closure After the Norwood Procedure

At this program, 80 out of 116 (69 percent) patients underwent primary sternal closure (PSC) following the Norwood procedure. Norwood outcomes from 2017 to 2022 were reviewed, dividing patients into two groups: PSC and delayed sternal closure (DSC). The PSC patients had lower preoperative inotrope use and a less complex intraoperative course. Postoperative mechanical support, hospital stay, and mortality rates were higher for DSC patients. However, by multivariable analysis, DSC was not an independent risk factor for either operative mortality or infectious complications.