The demonstration of the inferior sternal cleft using three-dimensional reconstruction: a case report

Congenital sternal cleft is a rare disorder in which there is a gap in the midline of the anterior chest wall between the two halves of the sternum. Typically, the contour of the mediastinal structures can be seen beneath the skin. It is rare and the exact incidence is not known. It results from failure of fusion of the two lateral mesodermal sternal bars by 8 weeks of gestation. Most cases are diagnosed shortly after birth and are reported only rarely in adults. We report here one of the congenital major chest wall deformities; inferior sternal cleft is rarely seen, associated with sternal and costal variations in a 22-year young man.