STERNAL FRACTURE – Etiology, Signs and Symptoms, Diagnostic Test and Treatment
A sterna fracture is a fracture of the sternum located in the center of the chest. The injury that experiences significant blunt chest trauma may occur in vehicle accidents, when the still-moving chest strikes a steering wheel or dashboard, or is injured by a seatbelt. Sternal fractures may also occur as a fracture in people, who have weakened bone in their sternum, due to another disease process
ETIOLOGY
Vehicle collisions are the usual cause of sterna fracture. The injury is estimated to occur in about 3% of auto accidents. The chest of a driver who is not wearing a seatbelt may strike the steering wheel, and the shoulder component of a seatbelt may injure the chest if it is worn without the lap component
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
- Crepitus (a crunching sound made when broken bone ends rub together)
- Pain
- Tenderness
- Bruising
- Swelling over the fracture site
- Palpation
DIAGNOSTIC TEST
- X-rays of the chest are taken in people with chest trauma and symptoms of sternal fractures
- CT scanning
- Electrocardiogram and radionucleotide abnormalities (abnormal test results indicating cardiac dysfunction)
TREATMENT
- Tracheal intubation
- Mechanical ventilation
