Prosthetic Arch Branch Graft Injury by a Fractured Sternal Wire: A Word of Caution

A 74-year-old man with a history of bronchial asthma underwent total arch replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. He was discharged without any major complications except for postoperative coughing attacks, which caused a third sternal wire fracture and partial sternal dehiscence (Figure  1A, Figures 2A and D). He was asymptomatic and without sternal instability at 3 months after surgery. However, chest radiography (CXR) revealed migration of the fractured sternal wire (Figure 1B), and computed tomography (CT) showed close contact between the edge of the fractured sternal wire an d the arch branch graft to the left subclavian artery (LSCA) (Figures 2B and E).

Source: Heart, Lung and Circulation - March 11, 2021 Category: Cardiology Authors: Kimihiro Kobayashi, Tetsuro Uchida, Yoshinori Kuroda, Atsushi Yamashita, Jun Hayashi Tags: Images in CT Surgery and Cardiology Source Type: research