Abstract
Post-sternotomy mediastinitis (PSM) is a serious complication of median sternotomy. It is associated with a high mortality rate. Evidence based management recommends debridement followed by closure with vascularised flaps. When large areas of resections are performed, the use of sternal prosthesis could be considered to ensure chest wall stability and cosmesis. We report an individualised three-dimensional (3D)-printed high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sternum implantation in a patient with a 10 cm chest wall defect. Chest wall reconstruction was uncomplicated and the patient tolerated the procedure well without cardiorespiratory compromise. Postoperatively, the wound healed well and the chest wall remained stable at outpatient clinic follow-up. Three-dimensional-printed HDPE prosthesis offers an alternative implant option for closing large chest wall defects for eroded sternum after cure of mediastinitis.
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