Congenital Absence of Sternum: A Surgical Technique for Successful Outcome

TL;DR

This paper presents a surgical technique for correcting congenital absence of the sternum to prevent life-threatening complications.

Contribution

The paper introduces a specific surgical approach for treating congenital sternum absence with successful outcomes.

Findings

Early surgical repair yields the best results due to a compliant thoracic cage.

Computed tomography imaging is essential for planning the surgical procedure.

Congenital absence of sternum poses significant risks to mediastinal structures.

Abstract

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.

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