Sternal fractures in children

BACKGROUND: Sternal fractures are a rare nosological form of injuries in children. The injuries of the sternum often are accompanied by fractures of the long bones of the skeleton or thoracic vertebrae. Isolated fractures of the sternum in children are rarely diagnosed. The medical information on pediatric sternum injuries is limited by a small number of scientific publications. AIM: Our aim is to study the peculiarities of traumagenesis, clinic, diagnostics, treatment of sternal fractures in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical material for the served as experience in providing traumatology assistance to 8 children who received sternal fractures. The average age of the injured children was 11.5 years. 87.5% of the victims were boys. In all patients, sternal fractures had been diagnosed along with other damage to the musculoskeletal system. During the survey, traditional diagnostic methods for emergency traumatology were used. RESULTS: The leading mechanism of injury, i.e., falling from a height of 2 meters and more were found in 62.5% of victims. In all clinical observations, fractures were localized at the level of the body of the sternum. All the children, besides sternal fractures, had uncomplicated fractures of the vertebral bodies. A total of 30 bodies of the vertebrae were compressed. Most often (in 16.75% of cases), the ThV vertebra was compressed. The reliable symptoms of sternal fractures in patients were difficult and painful breathing, local swelling of soft tissues, soreness of the sternum during palpation, and amplification of the pain in the fracture area during pressure applied on half of the chest. Compliance with the strict bed mode on the roller-reclinator under the area of the compreated vertebrae and the exclusion of the axial load on the spine was a favorable fact sufficient and led to pain disappearance in 37 days. In all cases, the sternum fractures did not require any surgery. Fractures of the bodies of the vertebrae in 7 children were also treated conservatively. The Corsets Orlett was used for immobilization, ensuring a reliable degree of fixation. The average hospital stay amounted to 16. The duration of the hospital stay was influenced by the accompanying bone-articular damage to the skeleton. The evaluation of the long-term results was performed in 4 children. The results were interpreted as good. CONCLUSIONS: When applying for emergency traumatology assistance to children with chest injury and spine, it is necessary to purposefully explore the state of the sternum.

Sternal Fracture Fixation with a Steel Wire: The New “Timala” Technique

Purpose: Traumatic sternal fractures are rare but quite disabling injuries. Timely fixation of sternal fractures reduces pain and prevents respiratory complications. However, the fixation technique should be simple, effective, and readily available in local circumstances.Methods: From January 2014 to March 2020, seven patients with sternal fracture/ dislocation underwent steel wire fixation with the new “Timala” technique. In this technique, adjacent ribs are anchored with two steel wires to form an “X” in front of the fractured segment of the sternum. Patients were followed up clinically and radiologically.Results: Six of the patients were men and one was a female. Five of them had injuries due to falls and two were injured in road traffic accidents. Their age ranged from 18 years to 76 years, with a median age of 41 years. All seven patients experienced immediate recovery from pain and showed evidence of fracture healing on postoperative chest X-rays and clinical examinations.Conclusions: Anchoring ribs to fix the sternum with steel wire is a safe, effective, easily available, and reproducible method to fix sternal fractures or dislocations.

Management of Vertical Sternal Fracture Nonunion in Elite-Level Athletes

Background: Sternal fractures are rare, and they can be treated nonoperatively. Vertical sternal fractures have rarely been reported. Purpose: To describe the management and surgical treatment of a series of elite-level athletes who presented with symptomatic nonunions of a vertical sternal fracture. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Patients with an established symptomatic nonunion of a vertical sternal fracture, as diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), underwent open reduction and internal fixation using autologous bone graft and cannulated lag screws. The patients were assessed preoperatively and at the final follow-up using the Rockwood sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) score; Constant score; and shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) scores. Bony union was confirmed on postoperative CT scan. Results: Five patients (4 men and 1 woman) were included; all were national- or international-level athletes (rugby, judo, show-jumping, and MotoGP). The mean age at surgery was 23.4 years (range, 19-27 years), the mean time from injury to referral was 13.6 months (range, 10-17 months), and the mean time from injury to surgery was 15.8 months (range, 11-20 months). The mean follow-up was 99.4 months (range, 25-168 months). There was a significant improvement after surgery in the mean Rockwood SCJ score (from 12.6 to 14.8 [ P < .05]), Constant score (from 84 to 96.4 [ P < .05]; 80% met the minimal clinically important difference [MCID] of 10.4 points), and QuickDASH (from 6.8 to 0.98 [ P < .05]; 0% met the MCID of 15.9 points). Four of the patients were able to return to sport at their preinjury level, and 1 patient retired for nonmedical reasons. All of the fractures had united on the postoperative CT scan. There were no postoperative complications. Conclusion: Vertical fractures of the sternum are very rare and tend to behave clinically like an avulsion fracture injury to the capsuloligamentous structure of the inferior SCJ. The requirement of advanced imaging to diagnose this injury means that the actual incidence and natural history are not known. For high-demand athletes, early identification, surgical reduction, and fixation are likely to achieve the best outcome.

Lung ultrasound in blunt chest trauma: A clinical review

Introduction Bedside lung sonography is recognized as a reliable diagnostic modality in trauma settings due to its ability to detect alterations both in lung parenchyma and in pleural cavities. In severe blunt chest trauma, lung ultrasound can identify promptly life-threatening conditions which may need direct intervention, whereas in minor trauma, lung ultrasound contributes to detection of acute pathologies which are often initially radio-occult and helps in the selection of those patients that might need further investigation. Topic Description We did a literature search on databases EMBASE, PubMed, SCOPUS and Google Scholar using the terms ‘trauma’, ‘lung contusion’, ‘pneumothorax’, ‘hemothorax’ and ‘lung ultrasound’. The latest articles were reviewed and this article was written using the most current and validated information. Discussion Lung ultrasound is quite accurate in diagnosing pneumothorax by using a combination of four sonographic signs; absence of lung sliding, B-lines, lung pulse and presence of lung point. It provides a rapid diagnosis in hemodynamically unstable patients. Lung contusions and hemothorax can be diagnosed and assessed with lung ultrasound. Ultrasound is also very useful for evaluating rib and sternal fractures and for imaging the pericardium for effusion and tamponade. Conclusion Bedside lung ultrasound can lead to rapid and accurate diagnosis of major life-threatening pathologies in blunt chest trauma patients.