Spontaneous Mediastinal Abscess and Sternal Cleft in the Medically Complex Neonate

Abstract

Sternal cleft (SC) is a rare congenital anomaly, occurring with associated developmental anomalies or in isolation. Surgery to reconstruct the sternum is indicated to protect the visceral organs from trauma, to ensure healthy cardiopulmonary function and growth, and to reconstruct the anterior chest wall. Although infection recognized as a postoperative complication following chest wall reconstruction, spontaneous mediastinal infection is rare. To the authors’ knowledge, there is only 1 reported case of spontaneous mediastinal infection with concomitant SC in the literature. Here, the authors present a unique case of a medically complicated infant with a SC who presented with a spontaneous mediastinal abscess.