title: Spontaneous fracture of the sternum in a child being treated in a Boston brace for kyphoscoliosis. A case report and review of the literature.
abstract: We report a child who suffered from short stature of unknown aetiology and rigid thoracolumbar kyphoscoliosis and developed a symptomatic spontaneous fracture of the sternum while being treated in a Boston brace. Modification of the brace was followed by uneventful healing of the sternal fracture. To our knowledge no mention has been previously made of this extremely rare complication, but the spine surgeon who treats complex spinal deformities in early childhood with braces should be aware of this potential complication, particularly if they are associated with rigid rotational kyphosis.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Department, General Hospital Agios Andreas, Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Korovessis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sdougos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dimas
mesh_terms: D001915:Braces / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D012600:Scoliosis / Q000628:therapy*; D013249:Sternum / Q000293:injuries*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae