Abstract
Sternal cleft is a rare congenital malformation with little more than 100 cases published worldwide. Incomplete sternal clefting in a female newborn is the most frequent form seen. First-line treatment is the surgical defect closure in the neonatal period. Presurgical examination has to focus on common associated malformations, in particular cardiac defects. The surgical repair of sternal cleft itself shows satisfying functional and cosmetic results with low complication rates. We present the case of a 4-month-old male infant with a superior sternal cleft.
Highlights
We present the case of a 4-month-old male infant with a superior sternal cleft
Sternal cleft (SC) is a rare congenital malformation that results from the defective embryologic fusion of mesenchymal cells in the ventral midline
SC is a rare congenital chest malformation mostly diagnosed in newborns and infants
Summary
Sternal cleft (SC) is a rare congenital malformation that results from the defective embryologic fusion of mesenchymal cells in the ventral midline. To restore the protective function of the skeleton by establishing bony integrity as soon as possible and to benefit from the high flexibility of the chest wall in newborns, surgical repair should be performed in the first weeks of life.[3–5]. Different surgical techniques such as primary closure, bone graft interposition, prosthetic closure, muscle flap interposition, and others have been described.[3–8] received November 11, 2014 accepted after revision March 30, 2015 published online June 15, 2015. On the first postoperative day the infant developed significant pleural effusion, and chest tubes were placed bilaterally in the intensive care unit (ICU). The first postoperative checkup after 2 months and the long-term follow-up after 1 year showed very good cosmetic results and normal respiratory movements
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