Sternal fracture

A sternal fracture is a fracture of the sternum, located in the center of the chest. The injury, which occurs in 5–8% of people who experience significant blunt chest trauma, may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard or is injured by a seatbelt. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has also been known to cause thoracic injury, including sternum and rib fractures. Sternal fractures may also occur as a pathological fracture, in people who have weakened bone in their sternum, due to another disease process. Sternal fracture can interfere with breathing by making it more painful; however, its primary significance is that it can indicate the presence of serious associated internal injuries, especially to the heart and lungs.

Signs and symptoms

Signs and symptoms include crepitus (a crunching sound made when broken bone ends rub together), Sternal fracture is commonly associated with injuries to the heart and lungs; if a person is injured with enough force to fracture the sternum, injuries such as myocardial and pulmonary contusions are likely. Other associated injuries that may occur include damage to blood vessels in the chest, myocardial rupture, head and abdominal injuries, flail chest, They may hinder breathing. There is controversy over the question of whether the presence of sternal fracture is an indication of cardiac injuries. ==Causes==

Causes

Vehicle collisions are the usual cause of sternal fracture; the injury is estimated to occur in about 3% of auto accidents. The chest of a driver who is not wearing a seat belt may strike the steering wheel, and the shoulder component of a seatbelt may injure the chest if it is worn without the lap component. The injury can also occur when the chest suddenly flexes, in the absence of an impact. Additionally, injury to the sternum may be made more likely if there are other disease processes in place that have weakened the bone - in this case, the fracture that occurs is termed a pathologic fracture. ==Diagnosis==

Diagnosis

sternal fracture. X-rays of the chest are taken in people with chest trauma and symptoms of sternal fractures, and these may be followed by CT scanning. ==Treatment==

Treatment

Management involves treating associated injuries; people with sternal fractures but no other injuries do not need to be hospitalized. Fractures that are very painful or extremely out of place can be operated on to fix the bone fragments into place, People who experience a pathologic fracture will be investigated for the cause of the underlying disease, if it is unknown. Treatment of any underlying disease, such as chemotherapy if indicated for bone cancer, may help to improve the pain of a sternal fracture. ==History==

History

In 1864, E. Guilt published a handbook recording sternal fractures as a rare injury found in severe trauma. The injury became more common with the introduction and wide use of automobiles and the subsequent rise in traffic accidents. ==See also==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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