Abstract
Background Postoperative acute pain can cause anxiety and decrease the quality of life in patients.
Acute sternal bone pain after cardiac surgery can persist for long time.
Objective The aim of this study is to explore the relationships between the degree of sternal
misalignment and the degree of acute sternal pain after coronary artery bypass grafting
surgery (CABG).
Methods We retrospectively reviewed postoperative coronary computed tomographic (CT) angiography
and medical records in 104 patients who received CABG between May 1, 2009 and January
31, 2011. CT scan was classified into five categories, and we compared the degree
of misalignment and subjective pain via numerical rating scale (NRS) system.
Results Positive correlation was noted between NRS and the degree of sternal misalignment
(Pearson correlation coefficient 0.660, p = 0.000).
Conclusion Postoperative sternal pain is related to the degree of misalignment of the sternal
halves. It would be appropriate for surgeons to approximate the sternal halves accurately
to decrease the postoperative sternal wound pain in the first place.
Keywords
coronary artery bypass grafts surgery CABG - surgery/incisions - sternum
