This letter re-assesses a publication in the Journal of Cardiothoracic Surgery entitled ‘Vibration transmittance measures sternotomy stability – a preliminary study in human cadavers.’ The roles of ultrasound in testing for sternotomy stability and that of stress vibration transmittance in cases of fracture of the posterior table of the sternum or in hairline undisplaced fractures are examined in view of their differing sound wave frequency ranges.

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