[Evaluation of long-term results in patients who underwent reconstruction of thoracic wall with curved metal plates].

Between 1992 and 2011, 22 patients underwent surgery of reconstruction of thoracic wall with curved metal plates for multiple rib fracture and resection of thoracic wall tumor. They were divided into 2 groups according to original disorders. Twelve cases of group A accepted surgical stabilization of traumatic multiple rib fractures with the metal plates fixed on the fractured ribs as an external brace. Ten patients of group B were suffered from thoracic wall tumors, including 1 fibrous dysplagia, 1 chondroma, 5 invasive lung cancer, 2 rib metastases and 1 primary chest wall cancer. After the resection of tumors, an average of 3.2 ribs were removed, the defects of full thickness chest wall were reconstructed using a combination of a polypropylene mesh and the metal plates. In both groups, there were no displacement of the plates and allergic reaction. Only 2 patients needed removal of the fixed plates due to pyothorax caused by pneumonia after crushing thoracic injuries. The long metal reconstruction plates with many perforations were very useful for reconstruction of chest wall because they were long enough to cover the whole length of widely resected chest defects and moderately soft enough to be appropriately bent or twist by hand at the time of operation. Moreover long-term result of the reconstructed chest wall was safe and satisfactory without severe complication.