M A Rashid1, P Ortenwall, T Wikström. 1. Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To find out if the presence of a sternal fracture indicates cardiac and aortic injuries and to clarify the difference between a retrosternal haematoma and widened mediastinum. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 418 patients with blunt chest trauma of whom 29 had a fractured sternum (11 with retrosternal haematoma and 18 without) and 389 did not (7 with widened mediastinum and 382 without). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Definitions, risk factors, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Retrosternal haematomas were found adjacent to many fractures and ranged in size from a few mm to 2 cm. They were more common in fractures of the body of sternum. There was no significant difference in the number of associated lesions between patients with sternal fractures with or without a retrosternal haematoma. Conversely, patients with a widened mediastinum had a higher injury severity score, longer hospital stay (p < 0.0001), and more associated lesions (p < 0.05) than those with retrosternal haematomas. Six patients still had pain 1 month after injury of whom two had injury-related long-term disability because of pain. No serious cardiac or aortic injuries were detected in this series. The early mortality in our study was 2/29 in patients with sternal fractures and 1/7 in patients with widened mediastinum. CONCLUSIONS: Sternal fractures are more common than previously reported. An aggressive approach including early operative reduction is recommended even for a stable fracture to reduce the overhelming pain. Sternal fracture with or without retrosternal heamatoma is not a reliable indicator of cardiac and aortic injuries, while mediastinal widening is still a fairly reliable clue that should indicate further investigation.
OBJECTIVE: To find out if the presence of a sternal fracture indicates cardiac and aortic injuries and to clarify the difference between a retrosternal haematoma and widened mediastinum. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Sweden. SUBJECTS: 418 patients with blunt chest trauma of whom 29 had a fractured sternum (11 with retrosternal haematoma and 18 without) and 389 did not (7 with widened mediastinum and 382 without). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Definitions, risk factors, morbidity, and mortality. RESULTS: Retrosternal haematomas were found adjacent to many fractures and ranged in size from a few mm to 2 cm. They were more common in fractures of the body of sternum. There was no significant difference in the number of associated lesions between patients with sternal fractures with or without a retrosternal haematoma. Conversely, patients with a widened mediastinum had a higher injury severity score, longer hospital stay (p < 0.0001), and more associated lesions (p < 0.05) than those with retrosternal haematomas. Six patients still had pain 1 month after injury of whom two had injury-related long-term disability because of pain. No serious cardiac or aortic injuries were detected in this series. The early mortality in our study was 2/29 in patients with sternal fractures and 1/7 in patients with widened mediastinum. CONCLUSIONS: Sternal fractures are more common than previously reported. An aggressive approach including early operative reduction is recommended even for a stable fracture to reduce the overhelming pain. Sternal fracture with or without retrosternal heamatoma is not a reliable indicator of cardiac and aortic injuries, while mediastinal widening is still a fairly reliable clue that should indicate further investigation.
Authors: Alexander A Fokin; Joanna Wycech Knight; Kai Yoshinaga; Ayesha T Abid; Robert Grady; Amaris L Alayon; Ivan Puente Journal: Cureus Date: 2022-03-04