[Postoperative chondritis and osteomyelitis of the ribs and sternum]

Postoperative chondritis and osteomyelitis of the ribs and sternum were observed in 90 of 4620 operated patients. The main causes contributing to the development of this complication are errors in treatment of cartilages during thoracotomy and suppurative complications in the pleural cavity or in the operative wound. A radical removal of the affected costal and sternal portions as early as possible is considered to be the method of choice in treatment of chondirtis and osteomyelitis of the ribs and sternum.