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Surgical Fixation of Sternal Fractures: Preoperative Planning and a Safe Surgical Technique Using Locked Titanium Plates and Depth Limited Drilling
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Cleft sternum and sternal foramen

A A Fokin1

  • 1Heineman Medical Research Laboratories, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

Chest Surgery Clinics of North America
|May 10, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Cleft sternum, a rare congenital defect, leaves the heart unprotected and requires neonatal surgical correction for optimal outcomes. Awareness of sternal foramen is crucial for patient safety during procedures like acupuncture.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Congenital Malformations
  • Thoracic Surgery

Background:

  • Cleft sternum is a rare congenital anterior chest wall defect resulting from failed midline sternal fusion.
  • It presents as complete or incomplete forms, leaving the heart and great vessels vulnerable.
  • Commonly associated with craniofacial hemangiomas and omphalocele.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the diagnosis and surgical management of cleft sternum.
  • To highlight the importance of timely intervention and potential complications.
  • To discuss sternal foramen as a related anomaly.

Main Methods:

  • Review of congenital sternal defects, focusing on cleft sternum.
  • Discussion of diagnostic modalities including ultrasonography and CT scanning.
  • Analysis of surgical techniques for neonatal and delayed repair.

Main Results:

  • Prenatal diagnosis of cleft sternum is feasible via ultrasonography.
  • Neonatal surgical correction offers the best outcomes; delayed repair may require advanced techniques.
  • Sternal foramen is an asymptomatic defect detectable by CT, posing risks during acupuncture.

Conclusions:

  • Early surgical intervention in the neonatal period is crucial for cleft sternum repair.
  • Surgical techniques are available for delayed repair, though more complex.
  • Understanding these sternal anomalies is vital for clinical practice and patient safety.

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