Salvage Procedure after Sternochondroplasty for Pectus Excavatu m

Abstract

Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) in association to flap reconstruction is a well-established approach for treating complicated wounds. The authors present a case of soft-tissue breakdown with hardware exposure in a patient treated with modified Ravitch procedure for pectus excavatum. VAC therapy was applied in association to multiple debridement procedures and final flap closure. This was achieved without the need for hardware removal, thus maintaining adequate skeletal fixation. To our knowledge this approach has not yet been described into the literature after sternochondroplasty procedure. Aggressive debridement and VAC therapy before final closure may represent a new, conservative method for managing surgical complications after sternochondroplasty procedures.