The internet has been a problem but I now have a mini-airport station. The connection is slow but adequate.
The first interesting case to report is a 46 year-old female with a three-year history of a slow growing sternal mass. We were able to get a CT of the chest which showed the mass growing both into and out of the chest with destruction of the sternum. The great vessels appeared to be free from the tumor. We took her to surgery.
As soon as possible, we explored the chest and determined the mass was resectable. The mass extended in to the neck and involved the thyroid so a total thyroidectomy was necessary. In order to close the wound, we performed a right pectoralis muscle flap and reconstructed the lower sternum with mesh. Finally, we mobilized both breasts in order to close the wound. The patient was out of bed the next morning!
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| Sternal mass |
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| Exposure of the great vessels after resection |
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| Right pectoralis major muscle flap |
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| Flap covering the great vessels |
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| Mesh reconstruction of the lower sternum |
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| Closure |
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| Specimen |
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| Specimen bivalved |
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| One week post surgery |
