title: Straightened sternal wire causes iatrogenic pectus carinatum after cardiac surgery.
abstract: Pectus carinatum is a protrusion deformity of the anterior chest wall that is most likely caused by a disproportionate growth of the costal cartilages compared with the remainder of the thoracic skeleton. A young boy had previously undergone corrective congenital heart operation, after which a prominent sternal protrusion was noted. During the past year, the protrusion had greatly increased in size and had become recurrently infected. Chest X-ray showed that a sternal wire, the ends of which were pointing toward the skin, had straightened. Operative intervention included removal of the offending wire, draining a chronic abscess, and shaving the protruding sternum so that it conformed to the rest of the sternum.
authors.affiliation: Section of Congenital Heart Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, P.O. Box 245066, Tucson, AZ 85724-5066, USA. jthompson@surgery.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Jess L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Teodori
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001864:Bone Wires / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D013249:Sternum / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology