title: Sternal tumor resection and reconstruction with titanium mesh: a preliminary study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical efficacy and complications of treating sternal tumors by resection and titanium mesh thoracic reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective analysis of eight patients with sternal tumors treated in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2008 to June 2012 included five men and three women aged 37-66 years (mean, 50.4 years). The histological diagnoses were chondrosarcoma (two cases), osteosarcoma (one), malignant fibrous histiocytoma (two), eosinophilic granuloma (one) and sternal metastasis from breast cancer (two). The tumors were invading the manubrium sterni (three cases), manubrium sterni and body (three) and sternal body (two). All patients underwent needle or incisional biopsy prior to sternal tumor resection and titanium mesh thoracic reconstruction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients were followed for 9 months to 4 years. There were no intraoperative complications or operative or postoperative deaths. One patient developed a deep wound hematoma 1 week postoperatively; incisional drainage and debridement resulting in healing within 2 weeks. There was no loosening or exsertion of the titanium mesh and no patients developed respiratory complications or thoracic deformity. One patient with malignant fibrous histiocytoma died of lung metastases 9 months postoperatively, another with malignant fibrous histiocytoma died of liver metastases 14 months postoperatively; the remaining patients survived without tumor recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Titanium mesh chest reconstruction after sternal tumor resection has the advantages of simplifying the procedure, achieving a good shape and having few complications. Titanium mesh is an ideal material for reconstruction of the sternum.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jia-zhen
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ying-jie
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xin-chang
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hai-long
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Peng-fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D004803:Eosinophilic Granuloma / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000601:surgery*; D013249:Sternum / Q000601:surgery*; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium
keywords: Reconstructed titanium mesh; Sternal tumor; Surgical treatment