Abstract
1/2026
vol. 23
Review paper
Operative management of unstable sternal fracture in polytrauma: a case report and literature review
- Department of General Surgery, General Hospital of Eastern Achaia – Unit of Aigio, Aigio, Greece
- Department of Surgery, University of Medicine of Tirana, Albania
- Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Westpfalz Klinikum, Kaiserslautern, Germany
- Department of Orthopedics, General University Hospital of Patras, Greece
- John Radcliffe Hospital Emergency Department, University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, UK
- Department of Oncology, General University Hospital of Patras, Greece
- Department of Surgery, General University Hospital of Patras, Greece
- Department of Surgery, General Hospital of Lamia, Greece
- Department of Surgery, Spital Herisau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Switzerland
- Department of Vascular Surgery, General University Hospital of Patras, Greece
- Division of Cardiac Surgery, Hippokration General Hospital of Athens, Greece
- First Department of Surgery, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Attikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, General University Hospital of Patras, Greece
Kardiochirurgia i Torakochirurgia Polska 2026; 23 (1): 56–63
Online publish date: 2026/03/27
Sternal fractures are uncommon but clinically relevant injuries, most often resulting from blunt thoracic trauma in motor vehicle collisions. While most isolated fractures can be treated conservatively, surgical stabilisation may be required in cases of displacement, instability, or polytrauma. Modern plating techniques offer biomechanical advantages over traditional wire fixation, but indications remain variably defined. We report the case of a 33-year-old male polytrauma patient involved in a high-impact motor vehicle accident. He sustained a displaced sternal fracture with manubriosternal dislocation, bilateral rib fractures (right 4th–8th, left 6th–7th), flail chest, pulmonary contusion, a retrosternal haematoma, and left hip dislocation. Surgical management included open reduction and internal fixation of the sternum with 2 titanium plates, haematoma evacuation, and orthopaedic intervention. The postoperative course was initially uneventful; however, the patient was readmitted 1 month later with a surgical site infection caused by Proteus mirabilis.
Keywords
vacuum-assisted closure therapy, thoracic trauma, polytrauma, sternal fracture, surgical fixation, titanium plating
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