Cardiac Tamponade caused by Broken Sternal Wire after Pectus Excavatum Repair: A Case Report

Abstract

Complications of pectus excavatum surgery include pneumothorax, pleuritis, hemothorax, pericardial effusion, displacement of bar, pericarditis and cardiac injury, etc. This is the case of a 15-year-old boy with cardiac tamponade caused by pericarditis who had taken the operation for a pectus excavatum repair one year previously. The cause was a sternal wire which was used for attachment of the bar to sternum that had fractured and migrated through the pericardium causing a pericardial injury and a pericarditis.

Experience of the first lung transplantation performed in public sector in India

“…Injury to heart or great vessels by migration of sternal wire suture is an uncommon but known complication of thoracic surgery. [1617] This complication has been reported to occur up to 28 years after thoracic surgery and is thought to be related to wire migration due to respiratory movements of the thorax. [17]…”

Late complication of the Nuss procedure: recurrent cardiac tamponade

“…Pericarditis and pericardial effusion are rare complications that can develop later; however, progression to life-threatening cardiac tamponade is extremely rare [4-6]. The cases presented with tamponade were mostly related to sternal wire after the Ravitch procedure [10-12] or Nuss bar displacement injuring the ascending aorta [13] or pericardium [14].…”

Foreign Bodies in the Heart

“…Sternal struts /wire post-Ravitch surgery for correction of pectus excavatum and post-CABG have penetrated into the heart and required surgery. [61][62][63] Kirshner wire for fixation of pelvis 64 and after fixation of the femor 65 migrated to the right ventricle.…”