Surgical treatment of a sternal cleft associated with pectus excavatum

Abstract

Sternal cleft is a rare congenital chest wall deformity, with a reported incidence of 1 in 100,000 live births, accounting for less than 1% of all chest wall deformities. Patients with sternal clefts can be asymptomatic; however, most cases have recurrent respiratory infections and cosmetic disfigurement. Therefore, surgical correction of this deformity is still necessary to address cosmetic issues, assuage parental concerns, and prevent repeated respiratory infections caused by paradoxical breathing patterns. Here, we report a case of complete sternal cleft associated with pectus excavatum that was successfully treated with sternal reconstruction and pectus bar insertion.