Complete sternal cleft in an adult: case report

Abstract

A cleft of the sternum is a rare congenital anomaly. We report a rare case of complete sternal cleft in a 25-year-old woman. After surgical correction of the pectus excavatum, complete closure by direct approximation of the freshened sternal remnants to the midline, without interposition of tissue graft or inert prosthesis, was achieved in our patient. The functional and cosmetic result was excellent after complete healing.

Agenesia esternal total: reconstrucción esternal con placas absorbibles y pericardio bovino en un paciente de 4 años

“…Se han descrito múltiples mecanismos para realizar el reparo, que incluyen condrotomías de deslizamiento o rotacionales, osteotomías, dislocaciones claviculares, injertos óseos (tibia, cráneo, cresta ilíaca) o cartilaginosos (cartílagos costales), colgajos musculares del pectoral o del esternocleidomastoideo, y el uso de material protésico, como mallas o barras de titanio, con los mismos resultados que el cierre primario y buen aspecto estético 1,2,5,6,10,11 . También hay reportes de reconstrucciones exitosas realizadas en la edad adulta 12 .…”

Complete Sternal Cleft Repair

“…Prosthetic reconstruction carries risk of extrusion, infection and lacks growth with child, contrary to autologous material. 2,3 Kabiri et al and 4 Sapiri et al 5 reported complete SC in adolescence and adults associated with pectus excavatum, where resection of the deformed cartilage for correction of pectus excavatum facilitated primary SC approximation.…”