PARTIAL MEDIAN STERNOTOMY FOR RESECTION O F METASTASES IN UPPER THORACAL SPINE

A modified method of access to the upper thoracic spine is presented b ased on a case report. The third and fourth thoracic vertebral bodies can be reached by partial upper sternotomy. This approach takes the lo cal anatomic situation into account, thus avoiding the typical complic ations of complete sternotomy and reducing the postoperative pain. Clo sure was done using biodegradable sutures, achieving satisfactory stab ilisation and a low rate of complications. In only 4 of 130 cases (3%) did a superficial wound infection occur. There was no case of deep in fection, osteomyelitis or dehiscence of the sternum.