# Flail chest and mediastinitis with total sternal loss post pediatric heart surgery. Reconstruction technique and case report

## TL;DR

A 2-year-old girl with mediastinitis and total sternal loss after heart surgery was successfully treated with a chest wall stabilization technique using titanium bars and muscle flaps.

## Contribution

The paper presents a successful reconstruction technique for total sternal loss in pediatric patients with mediastinitis.

## Key findings

- The patient showed favorable postoperative recovery after the reconstruction technique.
- Titanium bars and muscle flaps effectively stabilized the chest wall in this complex case.
- The described method is a viable option for managing severe post-surgical complications in pediatric heart surgery.

## Abstract

Se presenta el caso de una niña de 2 años de edad, con antecedente de una cirugía de banding pulmonar, a quien se le realiza una técnica de estabilización de pared torácica con barras de titanio y cobertura con flaps musculares por presentar mediastinitis posquirúrgica asociada a pérdida esternal total, luego de una cirugía de cierre de comunicación interventricular, debanding y plastia de arteria pulmonar. La paciente presentó evolución posquirúrgica favorable.