Iceland records one of world’s lowest rates of deep sternal infections
Friday 28th August 2026 on 09:45 in
Iceland
Iceland has recorded a significant decline in deep sternal infections following open-heart surgery over the past two decades, with the rate now among the lowest in the world, mbl.is reports.
The findings come from a study recently published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Its first author is Luis Gísli Rabelo, a doctoral student at the University of Iceland’s Faculty of Medicine. He conducted the research under the supervision of Tómas Guðbjartsson, a cardiac surgeon and professor at the faculty.
Infections are among the most common complications of open-heart surgery. In some cases, an infection in the sternal incision can spread deeper and cause a serious, potentially life-threatening bone infection.
The study covered 4,600 patients who underwent open-heart surgery at Landspítali hospital between 2001 and 2024. Deep sternal infections were diagnosed in 53 patients, or 1.2% of the group.
The incidence fell from 2.5% in 2001 to 2004 to zero in 2021 to 2024. No cases were diagnosed after 2017.
Rabelo told mbl.is that the rate in Iceland is now among the lowest in the world and lower than in the other Nordic countries, where it has increased in some places.
“The development in Iceland is therefore moving in the opposite direction, which is extremely positive and a mark of the quality of treatment here,” he said.
Most surgical infections following open-heart surgery are superficial skin infections, Rabelo said. Deeper infections are less common but more serious and can be life-threatening.
No patient has died from one of these deep infections since 2005. Rabelo said this was largely due to negative pressure wound therapy, which was introduced in Iceland that year and has since been used in every case.
The treatment applies negative pressure through a suction pump to a sponge placed in the wound. This limits bacterial growth and promotes healing.
“This is very positive news for our patients and for those undergoing these procedures at Landspítali,” Rabelo said.