Reconstruction of Infant Thoracic Wounds

From 1985 through 1987, five of eight infants with thoracic wounds at Yale-New Haven Hospital underwent chest-wall reconstruction. In total, the eight infants underwent 17 procedures (including multiple open resuscitations) exclusive of the reconstructive operations. Patients undergoing reconstruction ranged from 1 to 10 months of age and 3 to 7 kg in weight. All reconstructed patients underwent bilateral pectoralis major advancement flaps, with three of the five patients each requiring the simultaneous use of a rectus abdominis flap. With 2 to 18 months of follow-up, healing was complete in all five of the reconstructed patients, with two prosthetic pulmonary-systemic shunts and two outflow tract patches thus salvaged. These patients were found to be distinct from their adult counterparts, with special critical care requirements and expectedly delicate muscular anatomy. The gratifying results now expected in adults with sternal wound complications can be achieved in their infant counterparts. Furthermore, the group of patients whose chests cannot initially be closed owing to resultant cardiac compression may look to sternocostal debridement and flap reconstruction as a means of not only achieving wound closure, but of effectively increasing their mediastinal volume and compliance. Questions about skeletal development remain unanswered and demand further follow-up.