Twenty seven-year experience with sternal cleft repair

Congenital sternal cleft is a rare disease, and primary repair in the neonatal period is its best management. In 1998 we presented three surgical techniques for sternal cleft correction, but since 1999 we have elected one of them as our procedure of choice. Our latest results are now presented. It is a review of 15 patients operated from October 1979 to December 2007. Surgical repair consisted of 3 sliding chondrotomies, 10 reconstructions basec on a 'posterior sternal wall', 1 reconstruction combined to Ravitch operation for pectus excavatum and 1 associated with total repair of Cantrell's pentalogy. Data concerning epidemiological features, surgical reconstruction, aesthetic results, postoperative major complications, mortality and hospital stay, were collected from hospital charts. Follow-up ranged from 4 months to 27 years. All patients submitted to surgical, correction had a good aesthetic and functional result. Neither postoperative mortality nor major complication was observed. Two patients had subcutaneous fluid collection that prolonged the drainage duration. The mean hospital stay was 6 days. In conclusion, reconstructing sterna. cleft with a 'posterior periosteal flap from sternal bars and chondral graft' is an effective option with good aesthetic and long-term functional results. (C) 2008 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.