STERNAL FRACTURE DUE TO BLUNT TRAUMA (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Sternum fractures caused by blunt trauma are rare, complex and can compromise soft tissues and vital organs. The conservative, non-surgical approach is the most common; however, there are cases in which surgery is indicated, especially in situations of instability, overlapping fractures, respiratory failure, refractory pain and cardiac or vascular injuries, among others. The objective of this article was to report the case of a patient with sternum fracture due to blunt thoracic trauma, who underwent surgical fixation with modified technique, at Hospital Municipal Lourenço Jorge (Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil). This is a retrospective article, based on a medical record review and complementary approaches (patient interview, surgical report and literature review). The case involved a male patient, 57 years old, admitted to the health unit after falling from a scaffolding of approximately 6 meters, with a confirmed diagnosis of transverse sternal fracture with laminar hemothorax, without additional injuries. The patient received two titanium plates transverse to the lesion, with limited drilling of the screws. The procedure was successful, with no complications during recovery, and the patient was discharged within the expected period (16 days). It is concluded that the reported surgical technique proved to be safe, with recovery within the expected time frame. It is necessary to carry out rigorous tracking of the patient's previous conditions before the procedure and careful surgical planning, with the support of imaging resources for greater precision.