South African medical journal = Suid-Afrikaanse tydskrif vir geneeskunde
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Comparative Study
The versatility of median sternotomy in general paediatric surgery.
While common in cardiac surgery, median sternotomy (MS) is rarely required in general paediatric surgery. In the era of advancing endoscopic techniques, sternotomy is perceived as an extremely invasive incision, associated with prolonged postoperative recovery and significant morbidity. ⋯ This review highlights the variety of conditions in which MS provides unrivalled access to the mediastinum and how well the procedure is tolerated by the paediatric patient, and emphasises the importance of sternotomy being within the armamentarium of access techniques of the general paediatric surgeon.