The Midsternal Stripe and Its Relationship to Postoperative Sternal Dehiscence

Abstract

The postoperative chest radiographs of 173 patients who underwent median sternotomy between Jan.-June 1975 were examined for the presence of a lucent midsternal line. A total of 52 (30%) showed a thin lucent line one or more days after the operation. Clinical dehiscence developed in 4 patients, of whom 2 had a midsternal stripe and 2 did not. The presence of a sternal stripe is probably of little value in the radiographic diagnosis of sternal dehiscence.