Sternal Fractures in Blunt Chest Trauma: Retrospective Analysis of 330 Cases

To analyse the range of injuries associated with sternal fracture (SF) and their clinical features and outcomes.

Observational study.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, Konya, Turkey, from July 2010 to July 2020.

Sternal fractures were considered in 330 patients with blunt trauma during the study period. They were categorised according to the Johnson and Branfoot classification and the Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen / Orthopaedic Trauma Association classification. Demographic data were collected, including age, gender, mechanism of injury, associated injuries, and the length of hospital stay.

During the 10-year study period, a total of 4024 thoracic trauma patients were admitted to the emergency department. Of these, 330 (8.2%) had a sternal fracture. The median age of the patients was 41 (8-90) years, and 72.7% were male. Isolated sternal fractures occurred in 93 patients (28.2%). An additional thoracic injury was observed in 74 patients (22.4%) included in the study, and an accompanying extrathoracic injury was observed in 34 patients (10.3%). In 129 patients (39.1%), both thoracic and extrathoracic pathologies were detected, in addition to SF. The mortality rate among patients with isolated sternal fracture was 1.1%; the mortality rate among patients with sternal fracture accompanied by additional pathologies was 6.6%.

Sternal fractures are frequently associated with other injuries. Although isolated sternal fracture has a good prognosis, careful evaluation and clinical observation are essential for additional injuries.

Emergency medicine, Sternal fracture, Chest trauma.