The evolution of a novel technique for treatment of intercostal hernias and restoration of costal margin rupture.
Rajiv Sharma, Adriana Rafael, Caitlin Pailthorpe et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
Three patients presented with intercostal hernias (IH) associated with costal margin rupture (CMR). In the first patient, CMR was recognized only after an initial operation to repair the IH had failed; in the other two, clinical suspicion prompted earlier diagnosis. All three underwent successful CMR repair using a titanium bar crimped to rotatable connectors mounted on titanium rib clips. The report emphasizes that identifying the underlying CMR was pivotal to surgical management.
What made this case unusual
In one patient, an unrecognized CMR was identified after an initial IH repair failed, illustrating how the underlying structural injury can be missed.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In a patient with IH, consider associated CMR; clinical suspicion and comprehensive imaging, including digital reconstruction, may help identify it and inform surgical planning.