Citation

Khalil PA, Benton C, Toney AG. Pediatr. Emerg. Care 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PEC.0000000000002216

PMID

32868625

Abstract

Sternal fractures have often been associated with high-impact thoracic trauma. In children, this is not always the case. X-ray and even computed tomography can miss subtle sternal fractures. Point-of-care ultrasound has been shown to be more sensitive and specific for detecting subtle sternal fractures as compared with plain X-ray. The following 2 cases describe sternal fractures that were missed by traditional imaging modalities, including a fracture missed by chest computed tomography. They also highlight other potential causative mechanisms for sternal fractures in children, including hyperflexion injuries and low-mechanism motor vehicle accidents.

Language: en