ISOLATED STERNAL FRACTURE - AN AUDIT OF 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE

We have reviewed 162 consecutive cases of sternal fracture admitted to the Leicester Royal Infirmary over a 10 year period. There were no in cidences of cardiogenic shock or arryhthmia developing in patients who had sustained an isolated sternal fracture, irrespective of the aetio logy. There were three deaths, three ITU admissions and one arryhthmia , all occurring in patients with severe thoracic injuries, or other as sociated injury. Our series confirms the observations of other authors , that patients with isolated sternal fractures, especially those sust ained by car occupants wearing seatbelts, do not develop myocardial pu mp failure or arryhthmias as a late or occult phenomenon and can often be discharged home if there is no clinical evidence of cardiac failur e and a 12-lead ECG is normal.