Cardiovascular injuries associated with sternal fractures.
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.


METHODS
Retrospective study.


METHODS
Teaching hospital, Sweden.


METHODS
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).


METHODS
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.
Rashid
M A
MA
Department of Surgery, Sahlgrenska University Hospital/Ostra, Gothenburg University, Sweden.
Ortenwall
P
P
Wikström
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001011:Aorta / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006335:Heart Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006406:Hematoma / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008477:Mediastinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000293:injuries; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000145:classification / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013249:Sternum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications