Sternal dehiscence accompanied by protrusion of the left lung through the chest wall.

Abstract

We report an almost complete protrusion of the lung through the anterior chest wall occurring as a complication following sternal dehiscence. Emergency treatment is mandatory since it has a high potential for incarceration, hemopneumothorax, respiratory failure, and infection. Twenty-eight days after coronary by-pass surgery, the left lung of a 66-year-old male patient almost completely protruded through the sternotomy incision in the chest wall; the lung tissue was successfully reduced and the sternotomy was closed. Recurrence was not observed within the 6-month follow-up period, his general condition was good. The clinical course of the patient was retrospectively reviewed, and this case was reported with a unique complication.

• Authors: Sezai Celik, Onur Gurer, Cuneyt Aydemir
• Journal: The Thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon (Thorac Cardiovasc Surg) Vol. 61 Issue 3 Pg. 258-60 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1439-1902 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 22383154 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Topics

• Aged
• Bone Wires
• Bronchoscopy
• Coronary Artery Bypass (adverse effects, methods)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Follow-Up Studies
• Hernia (diagnostic imaging, etiology)
• Humans
• Lung
• Male
• Myocardial Ischemia (surgery)
• Retrospective Studies
• Severity of Illness Index
• Sternotomy (adverse effects)
• Surgical Wound Dehiscence (complications, diagnosis, surgery)
• Thoracic Wall
• Thoracoplasty (methods)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Wound Healing