Primary repair of a large incomplete sternal cleft in an asymptomatic infant with Prolene mesh

A cleft of the sternum is a rare congenital anomaly, often diagnosed as an asymptomatic condition at birth. We present a case of a large incomplete sternal cleft in a full-term baby boy. Surgical repair of the sternum with the use of Prolene mesh was performed during the neonatal period without cardiac compression.     

Primary repair of a sternal cleft in an infant with autogenous tissues

A cleft sternum is a rare congenital anomaly often diagnosed as asymptomatic at birth. Clinical outcome may be unfavorable when an associated anomaly, particularly an intracardiac anomaly coexists with the defect. Primary repair should be employed in the neonatal period because the flexibility of the chest wall is maximal and compression of underlying structures is minimal. However, patients with sternal cleft may even present late in the childhood or adolescence period. We herein report a case of a 4-year-old girl with sternal cleft who showed a favorable clinical outcome following successful primary surgical repair with the use of autogenous tissues.     

Bridging the cleft over the throbbing heart

Primary repair of sternal cleft deformities are best achieved in the neonatal period. Conversion of a partial defect to a complete sternal cleft with sternal bar mobilization is able to achieve sternal approximation in most cases. We describe a new technique of fracturing the clavicles in unyielding cases as was our experience in a 6-week-old infant.     

Thymectomy to achieve primary closure of total sternal cleft

Total sternal cleft is a rare congenital malformation that may represent a challenge for the surgeon. In neonatal period, the primary closure is usually achievable, but at older age, this can be impossible. Moreover, the closure of the 2 sternal bars can bring to an exaggerated compression on mediastinal structures. Many different techniques for the treatment of sternal clefts have been reported in literature. We describe one case of total sternal cleft repaired at 4 months of age in which a partial thymectomy was performed to achieve the primary closure. We suggest considering this simple procedure in selected patients to reduce the risk of mediastinal compression.     

Congenital sternal cleft. Diagnosis and treatment

The first known case of sternal cleft was described by Torres in 1740. Since then, many publications have appeared concerning sternal cleft, which have led to introduce a classification and some therapeutical procedures. This disease is a developmental anomaly of the sternum that usually shows vascular and cardiac malformations as well as diaphragmatic, abdominal wall, pericard and middle line organs anomalies. Two cases of sternal cleft are presented who have been treated in the neonatal period with different associated anomalies. Diagnostic procedures and therapeutical aspects are discussed.     

Total and superior sternal clefts in newborns: a simple technique for surgical correction

The authors discuss six cases of superior and total sternal clefts treated in their department in the last 34 years and discuss the problems of this congenital malformation. The inferior sternal clefts including Cantrell's pentalogy and the total ventral clefts were excluded because in these cases severe associated anomalies require another approach. In superior and total sternal clefts, cardiac, vascular anomalies in lungs and abdomen and craniofacial dysgenesias are rarely present. In these cases a primary repair during the first weeks of life should be performed. Furthermore, the authors describe their own surgical approach, consisting of the conversion of the partial cleft into a total one. Then the rims are trimmed, and a complete approximation of the two segments is possible.     

Sternal cleft: a surgical opportunity

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results from the surgical techniques utilized to repair congenital sternal cleft. Methods: From January, 1987 to January, 2001, 5,182 patients were seen for chest wall malformations. Eight (0.15%) had sternal cleft. The age at presentation ranged from 15 days to 5 years. Six were girls (75%). The associated malformations were congenital cardiac malformations (2 patients), maxillofacial hemangioma (1 patient). All of them underwent a surgical repair, which could be classified into 3 methods: group 1 had primary closure of the defect (3 patients); group 2 underwent partial resection of the first, second, and third costal cartilages, disruption of the sternoclavicular junction, and closure of the sternal bars with stainless steel wire (3 patients); and group 3 had mobilization and approximation of the sternocleidomastoid muscles with closure achieved with costal homograft and prosthetic mesh (2 patients). The interval for postoperative follow-up was 1 to 8 years. Results: Group 1 patients developed well, although 2 of them had a slight degree of pectus excavatum in the long term not requiring surgical correction. Group 2 Patients developed without problems in all cases. One of the patients from group 3 had unsatisfactory aesthetic and functional results. He underwent reoperation with the second technique, achieving an improved result. Conclusions: Primary closure of the sternal cleft is the easiest technique. It should be performed in young infants. In the long term it can lead to a mild degree of pectus excavatum. The costal cartilage resection with mobilization of the clavicle achieved excellent results and allowed ready approximation of both sternal halves avoiding the use of costal grafts and prosthetic material. J Pediatr Surg 38:178-183.     

Complete cleft sternum.

A case of complete cleft sternum is presented along with the nomenclature of sternal defects. It is recommended that the term ectopia cordis should be applied only to cases in which the heart and thoracic viscera are genuinely ectopic. Surgical correction of complete cleft sternum should be performed in the neonatal period whether the infant is symptomatic or not. Simple closure of the defect, as for a median sternotomy, is possible during the first month of life and this avoids the more complex reconsructions necessary in older children.     

Autologous repair of isolated complete sternal cleft in an adolescent

Isolated sternal clefts are rare congenital anomalies. Complete clefts are rarer still with only 23 cases being reported. We present an adolescent girl with a complete sternal cleft. The cleft was treated with autologous anterior perichondrial flaps and pectoralis advancement flaps.     

Staged cleft sternum repair using dermal allograft and synthetic mesh

Cleft sternum is a rare congenital chest deformity that develops during the first trimester. Failure of the process of midline mesenchymal strip fusion leads to absence of the sternum, resulting in cleft formation. Multiple surgical approaches have been described in the closure of sternal clefts. An optimal surgical approach is still debatable. We describe 2 cases of complete sternal clefting treated with staging of the repair. Dermal allograft and synthetic mesh along with myofasciocutaneous flaps are used a bridging method to future definitive treatment. Most patients will require secondary cardiothoracic procedures for underlying cardiac conditions, and disruption of any primary repair is compromised on reentry into the chest. Staging this procedure avoids this potential problem. Also, concerns regarding chest wall constriction and cardiopulmonary compromise are minimized. Once the child has matured, definitive treatment can be pursued with more abundant autologous donor tissue. Our approach is safe with minimal complications and is well tolerated by the patients.     

Sternal cleft--a natural absurdity or a surgical opportunity

Sternal cleft is a rare visually dramatic congenital anomaly. It results from failure of fusion of the 2 lateral mesodermal sternal bars by the 8 weeks of gestation. Superior clefts are more frequent than inferior ones, and isolated central clefts are extremely rare. We describe the case of a 4-year-old girl with a central sternal cleft that was closed autogenously with pectoralis major advancement flaps.     

Safety of neonatal cleft lip repair

The timing of repair of a cleft lip continues to be debated. One of the reasons for delaying operation has been the belief that there is an increased risk of anaesthesia during the neonatal period. As a contribution to this debate we have analysed the anaesthetic and surgical complications of neonatal cleft lip repair undertaken at a single centre. We made a retrospective study of 99 babies consecutively referred for repair of cleft lip over a five-year period (January 1995-December 1999). In contrast to other series, all babies were considered for neonatal surgery and no exclusion criteria were set. All repairs were undertaken within 28 days of birth (median 4); the median gestational age was 40 weeks (range 34-42) and median birth weight of 3300 g (range 1500-4600 g). Perianaesthetic complications included one case of hypoxia presumably as a result of transitional circulation, one reintubation for poor respiratory effort in a premature baby, and five cases of nasal obstruction, three of which required a nasal stent. All recovered without long-term effects. There were significantly more surgical complications with bilateral repairs than with unilateral (p < 0.03). Breast feeding was achieved in 54 babies by the time of discharge. We found no evidence that neonatal repair of cleft lip is unsafe. Paediatric anaesthetic and intensive care support within a specialised centre are necessary, and close postoperative monitoring is required, with attention to the nasal airway.     

Cleft sternum and sternal foramen

Cleft sternum is a rare congenital defect of the anterior chest wall and is the result of a failed midline fusion of the sternum. Depending on the degree of separation, there are complete and incomplete forms. Its clinical significance is that it leaves the heart and great vessels unprotected. Association with craniofacial hemangiomas and omphalocele is common. Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography is possible. Surgical correction should be performed during the neonatal period when the direct suturing of the sternal halves is possible and the thorax can accommodate the thoracic viscera. At an older age, surgical repair is feasible, but it may require additional measures, such as sliding chondrotomies of the adjacent costal cartilages and notching of the sternal bars, to facilitate the approximation. Lung herniation at the base of the neck should be corrected by uniting the cervical muscles. The first postoperative day is the most critical because of acute reduction of the mediastinal space. Long-term results are satisfactory. Sternal foramen is a congenital oval defect at the lower third of the sternum that is asymptomatic and could be detected by CT scanning. The awareness of the anomaly is important in acupuncture practice because of the danger of heart damage.     

Safety of neonatal cleft lip repair

Abstract

The timing of repair of a cleft lip continues to be debated. One of the reasons for delaying operation has been the belief that there is an increased risk of anaesthesia during the neonatal period. As a contribution to this debate we have analysed the anaesthetic and surgical complications of neonatal cleft lip repair undertaken at a single centre. We made a retrospective study of 99 babies consecutively referred for repair of cleft lip over a five-year period (January 1995–December 1999). In contrast to other series, all babies were considered for neonatal surgery and no exclusion criteria were set. All repairs were undertaken within 28 days of birth (median 4); the median gestational age was 40 weeks (range 34–42) and median birth weight of 3300 g (range 1500–4600 g). Perianaesthetic complications included one case of hypoxia presumably as a result of transitional circulation, one reintubation for poor respiratory effort in a premature baby, and five cases of nasal obstruction, three of which required a nasal stent. All recovered without long-term effects. There were significantly more surgical complications with bilateral repairs than with unilateral (p < 0.03). Breast feeding was achieved in 54 babies by the time of discharge. We found no evidence that neonatal repair of cleft lip is unsafe. Paediatric anaesthetic and intensive care support within a specialised centre are necessary, and close postoperative monitoring is required, with attention to the nasal airway.     

Anesthesia and bifid sternum repair in an infant

The sternal cleft is a rare congenital abnormality that is a result of failure of sternal fusion, varying from complete to incomplete (bifid), and may be associated with ectopia cordis. The surgical correction of the bifid sternum and its respective anesthetic concerns are presented.     

Complete sternal cleft in an adult: case report

A cleft of the sternum is a rare congenital anomaly. We report a rare case of complete sternal cleft in a 25-year-old woman. After surgical correction of the pectus excavatum, complete closure by direct approximation of the freshened sternal remnants to the midline, without interposition of tissue graft or inert prosthesis, was achieved in our patient. The functional and cosmetic result was excellent after complete healing.     

Congenital sternal cleft.

A cleft of the sternum is a rare congenital anomaly. We present a case of a sternal cleft in a 7-year-old boy. A split iliac bone graft covered with the sternocostal portion of a pectoralis major flap was used to reconstruct the defect.     

Superior sternal cleft: repair in the newborn

Superior sternal cleft is a rare congenital anomaly that should be repaired in the newborn while the bony thorax is still compliant. A method of approximating the U-shaped sternal defect that is applicable to the majority of patients seen as newborns is described.     

16例新生儿唇裂修复的回顾

目的　通过对 16例新生儿唇裂修复的回顾 ,评价新生儿时期唇裂修复术的优缺点。方法　根据近 5年的临床资料 ,选择两组唇裂患儿 ,分别为新生儿唇裂修复术组和 3个月时手术组 ,每组16例 ,两组患儿的畸形类型和手术条件尽可能相互匹配 ,通过随访比较手术效果 ,并对其家属进行问卷调查。结果　两组患儿均能很好地耐受手术 ,但新生儿手术组有两例术后复裂。手术切口瘢痕两组差异不明显。调查显示 ,两组患儿家属在患儿出生时都求医迫切 ;对术后效果的满意度 3个月时手术组稍高 ,为 86.7% ,新生儿组为 71.4% ,P >0 .0 5;新生儿手术组已有 42 .9%接受再次矫正术 ,而 3个月时手术组仅为 6.7% ,P <0 .0 5。结论　新生儿唇裂修复术可尽早消除畸形 ,缓解患儿家属的心理压力 ,但对术者的操作技能要求较高     

A longitudinal comparison of the psychological impact on mothers of neonatal and 3 month repair of cleft lip.

PURPOSE: This study investigates whether the timing after birth of babies' cleft repairs influences the psychological status of mothers. METHODS: Mothers of infants born with a cleft lip completed psychological assessments and semistructured interviews at four time points: 2-3 weeks, 3 months and 6 months following the birth. In addition, a preoperative assessment and interview was completed within the first week of birth for those with infants undergoing neonatal repair and within the week before surgery for the 3 month repair group. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between mothers of infants with early (neonatal) and late (3 month) repairs on the emotional measures at any time point or preoperatively. Means of measures for anxiety and depressive symptoms and the Impact of Event Scale were within the normal range. Measures of interaction with the infant, perceived infant difficulty, bonding and parental competence failed to show any impact of timing of operation. Women's emotional status improved significantly over the 6 month period regardless of operation timing. Qualitative analysis of interview data indicated most mothers preferred their infant to receive neonatal repair. CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence to support the idea that repair neonatally or at 3 months led to differential levels of anxiety or depressive symptoms or differences in attachment to the infant. Nevertheless mothers expressed a preference for and greater satisfaction with neonatal repair. In the absence of definitive evidence of differences in physical outcome, parental preferences should routinely be considered in deciding the timing of this procedure.