Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Rib fractures complicating median sternotomy.

R V Gumbs1, R L Peniston, H A Nabhani

  • 1Department of Radiology, Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC 20060.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery
|June 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dieting behaviours, obesity and predictors of dieting among female college students at Palestinian universities.

Eastern Mediterranean health journal = La revue de sante de la Mediterranee orientale = al-Majallah al-sihhiyah li-sharq al-mutawassit·2013
Same author

Correlation of Ge E' defect sites with second-harmonic generation in poled high-water fused silica.

Optics letters·2009
Same author

Severity of coronary artery disease in black and white male veterans and likelihood of revascularization.

American heart journal·2000
Same author

Predominance of the alpha1D subunit in L-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channels of hair cells in the chicken's cochlea.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·1998
Same author

Body mass index and coronary artery disease in African-Americans.

Obesity research·1995
Same author

Crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain of adenovirus type 5 fiber protein at 1.7 A resolution.

Structure (London, England : 1993)·1994
Same journal

Coronary artery bypass grafting based on computed tomography-derived fractional flow reserve versus angiography: Early results.

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
Same journal

Beyond R0: Margin Cytology and Local Control After Sublobar Resection.

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
Same journal

Deferred AVR During CABG in Moderate Aortic Stenosis: Lower Index Risk or Deferred Cumulative Risk?

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
Same journal

The Renaissance of Transapical TAVR: From Competing Access Route to Enabling Platform for Hybrid Heart Therapy.

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
Same journal

A Moving Target: Interpreting Post-TAVI Reintervention in a Rapidly Evolving Era.

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
Same journal

False Lumen Remodeling Versus Intraluminal Graft Thrombosis: Distinct Phenomena After Frozen Elephant Trunk Repair.

The Annals of thoracic surgery·2026
See all related articles

Acute rib fractures can occur after median sternotomy, particularly in heavier patients. These subtle fractures, often involving the left first rib, may be missed on initial postoperative imaging.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Radiology
  • Orthopedic Trauma

Background:

  • Median sternotomy is a common surgical approach for cardiac procedures.
  • Postoperative complications following sternotomy require careful monitoring.
  • Rib fractures are a potential, though often overlooked, complication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the incidence and characteristics of acute rib fractures after median sternotomy.
  • To identify risk factors associated with rib fracture development.
  • To highlight the diagnostic challenges of these fractures on postoperative imaging.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 100 postoperative chest radiographs from patients who underwent median sternotomy.
  • Analysis of fracture location, patient demographics, and surgical parameters.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Correlation of fracture occurrence with patient weight and body surface area.

    • Main Results:

    • Fifteen rib fractures were identified in 13 out of 100 patients.
    • The left first rib was most commonly fractured (11 fractures).
    • Fractures at the costotransverse articulation accounted for 7 of the 15 fractures.
    • Heavier patients and those with larger body surface areas were more prone to fractures.
    • Fractures were subtle and initially missed in 4 patients.
    • No correlation found with operative time, bypass time, or ischemic time.

    Conclusions:

    • Acute rib fractures are an under-recognized complication of median sternotomy.
    • Patient body habitus (weight, body surface area) is a significant risk factor.
    • Radiographic subtlety necessitates high vigilance for diagnosis in the postoperative period.