Successful management of absent sternum in an infant using porcine acellular dermal matrix

Congenital Absence of Sternum: A Surgical Technique for Successful Outcome

Congenital absence of sternum is a rare malformation of the anterior chest wall that needs surgical correction to avoid life-threatening complications as a consequence of such defect. It results from either partial or complete failure of fusion of mesenchymal strip during in utero organogenesis. The absence of sternum entails the risk of trauma to the mediastinal structures and other life-threatening complications. This defect is evaluated by a thorough clinical examination and computed tomography imaging of the thoracic cage to plan the surgical procedure. Early repair of the defect when the thoracic cage is still compliant yields the best result.

A 4-day-old newborn with an isolated sternal cleft: A rare case and literature review

An isolated sternal cleft is an orphan congenital defect of the sternum that presents from birth to adulthood. We report the case of a 4-day-old newborn with an isolated congenital cleft sternum. We also reviewed the related literature and operative options.

Primary Sternal Cleft Repair in First Week of Life

We present a full-term neonate with a postnatal diagnosis of a sternal cleft. Cardiac evaluation was otherwise remarkable for a patent ductus arteriosus and patent foramen ovale. Computed tomography scan confirmed the absence of a sternum except for a small inferior portion, including the xyphoid process. The patient underwent primary repair at five days of age through a midline incision where an absence of pericardium anteriorly was noted. She was extubated successfully the next day and discharged home on postoperative day 3. On follow-up examination, her sternum has been healing well without any clinical concerns. We advocate early repair of such defects in order to allow primary closure in a tension-free manner.