Flail Chest:
Occurs when ribs are fractured in two or more places on multiple adjacent ribs, creating a segment of ribs that are unattached to the bony thorax. This type of injury can lead to instability of the chest wall and create a paradoxical chest movement during breathing. It is the result of severe trauma.
Pectus carinatum (Pigeon Breast)
This defect is characterized by anterior protrusion of the lower sternum and xiphoid process. It is usually a benign condition but could lead to cardiopulmonary complications in rare cases.
Pectus excavatum:
Also reffered to as funnel chest, this deformity is characterized by depressed sternum. This condition rarely interferes with respiration but often corrected surgically for cosmetic reasons.
Sternum Fracture
Typically caused by blunt trauma, fractures of the sternum are associated with underlying cardiac injury.
Osteolytic Metastases
Destructive lesions with irregular margins
This localized or generalized infection of bone and marrow can be associated with postoverative complications of open heart surgery whihc requries the sternum to be split. The most common cause of osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection.