Clinical evaluations were performed on 54 cases of the traumatic sternal fracture, those were admitted and treated at the department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery in Chosun University Hospital during the past 5 years period from January
1990 to
December 1994.
The frequency was abut 7.8% of the nonpenetrating chest trauma. The ratio of male to female was 2 : 1 in male predominance. Average age was 45.7 years old and age distribution was from 18 to 80 years old. The most common cause in the sternal
fracture
were high decelerating injury (38 cases). The most common fracture site was sternal body. Associated intrathoracic organ injuries were cardiac contusion (11 cases), hemopneumothorax and pulmonary contusion. Added, thoracic cage and extrathoracic
organ
injuries were rib fracture, head injuries, thoracic spinal fracture and long bone fracture. Abnormal ECG findings were sinus bradycardia (4 cases), sinus tachycardia (3 cases), bundle branch block, atrial fibrillaton, left ventricular hypertrophy
and
myocardial ischemia. The average days of admission were 19.1 days. All patients were treated with conservative treatment. The complications after treatment were atelectasis (2 case), empyema (1 case), ARDS (1 case)
(Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1995;28:601-5)
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