title: Isolated complete cleft.
abstract: Cleft sternum is a rare congenital anomaly due to failure of fusion of the sternal bone. The etiology of this defect is not well understood. The anomaly is more common in females and may be associated with Cantrell's pentalogy. It can be partial or complete. An 8-year-old female child presented with complete defect in the sternum which was confirmed with a chest radiograph and computed tomography. Only 24 cases of isolated complete cleft sternum have been reported so far. The treatment ranges from primary closure of the defect to the use of various autologous and prosthetic grafts. Our patient was treated with primary closure of the defect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, KLES Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Karnataka, India. dr_rajeshp@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Rajesh S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Powar
authors.forename: Avinash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prabhu
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prabhu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009139:Musculoskeletal Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013249:Sternum / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging