@Article{Andrikopoulou2026,
journal="Kardiochirurgia i Torakochirurgia Polska/Polish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery",
issn="1731-5530",
volume="23",
number="1",
year="2026",
title="Operative management of unstable sternal fracture in polytrauma: a case report and literature review",
abstract="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.",
author="Andrikopoulou, Chrysa
and Selmani, Edvin
and Leivaditis, Vasileios
and Antzoulas, Panagiotis
and Tasios, Konstantinos
and Liolis, Elias
and Antzoulas, Andreas
and Litsas, Dimitrios
and Papadopoulos, Panagiotis Dimitrios
and Theofanis, George
and Nikolakopoulos, Konstantinos
and Panagiotopoulos, Ioannis
and Schizas, Dimitrios
and Koletsis, Efstratios
and Mitsos, Sofoklis
and Tomos, Periklis
and Dogjani, Agron
and Mulita, Francesk",
pages="56--63",
doi="10.5114/kitp.2026.160556",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.5114/kitp.2026.160556"
}