First Sternal Cleft Repair Using a Porous Alumina Ceramic Prosthesis in a 9-Year-Old Child
Virginie Fouilloux1,2, François Bertin3, Emilie Peltier2,4
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, Timone Children's Hospital, Marseille, France.
Insights
A rare congenital sternal cleft in a 9-year-old was successfully treated with a porous alumina sternal prosthesis, offering a reliable alternative for chest wall reconstruction.
Area of Science:
- Congenital abnormalities
- Thoracic surgery
- Biomaterials
Background:
- Sternal cleft is a rare congenital defect, often accompanied by other anomalies.
- Complete sternal cleft presents significant challenges, including cardiac protection and aesthetic concerns impacting social integration.
Observation:
- A 9-year-old child with a complete sternal cleft underwent surgical repair.
- An innovative porous alumina sternal prosthesis, initially designed for infection or carcinoma reconstruction, was utilized.
Findings:
- The surgical procedure and early follow-up were uncomplicated.
- Over one year of follow-up showed good healing, no respiratory distress, and proper chest wall development.
Implications:
- Porous alumina sternal prostheses offer a reliable alternative for treating congenital sternal clefts.
- This approach addresses both functional and aesthetic concerns, improving patient quality of life and school integration.
Abstract:
Sternal cleft is a rare congenital abnormality, often associated with other congenital defects. We present the case of a 9-year-old child with complete sternal cleft, treated with an innovative sternal prosthesis. Surgery was performed to protect the heart and also, as pulsations was visible, leading to serious esthetical concerns, to enhance school integration, which was difficult. The porous alumina device used was initially designed for sternal reconstruction after refractory deep sternal wound infection or carcinoma. Surgery and early follow-up were simple. There was no complication and the follow-up of more than 1 year reveals a good healing without breath discomfort and a correct development of the chest wall. In this rare indication, the alumina ceramic sternal prosthesis offers a reliable alternative to classical methods, such as muscle flap, autogenous tissue transfer, costal homograft, and other prosthetic materials like mesh or synthetic patch.
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