Question for Docs or Nurses

[momoftwins]

My brother was told before a recent surgery he had a herniated sternum. I tried to look this term up, but could not find anything. He had his surgery, so it could not have been that much of an issue.

Anyway, does anyone know what that term means?

Thanks and have a great night!

 

[lsyorke]

I've been a nurse for 21 years and have NEVER heard of this. The sternum is a bone, it's can't herniate!

 

[Kaycee]

I agree - never heard of it. I used to work as a surgical nurse, mostly in cardiothoracic surgery, so many of the cases I worked on involved the sternum, the bone in the middle of your chest that the ribs attach to. I've never heard this term used to describe any condition, and I can't think of a similar term that it could've been. As lsyorke said, bone can't herniate.

 

[momoftwins]

It was the Anesthesiologist that made the comment. I'm thinking he could have meant a herniated disc. My brother has had major issues with his shoulder/back due to a garage door falling on him. Anyway, he had an MRI last week for this issue and they found a suspicious area: 5CM ? in the right aspect of the chest. He had a Cat scan yesterday.

We were just trying to think about what it could be (praying it is not lung cancer). He remembered it was the sternum comment. BTW, if it was a 5CM mass in the lung, wouldn't they have said lung vs chest? Does "aspect" mean area?

Please, prayers for him. He is suppose to get the results on Monday. He is only 43.

 

[laurie31]

First, prayers that everything will be okay

I also have never heard of a herniated sternum. I too wondered if he meant herniated disc. My DH has a herniation at L5-S1 - the last lumbar disc and the first sacral disc. Maybe he heard sacral disc, and translated sacrum into sternum, in a form of medical "gossip". (gossip - that game where you whisper something to the next person and it gets all changed around by the time the last person hears it).

It's hard to remember what docs say sometimes, especially if it's an unfamiliar term. My inlaws came home from the hospital once saying the person they'd visited was very sick as they'd developed CID. I wracked my brain trying to think what CID was, then it hit me - they meant DIC! (Disseminated intravascular coagulation - a very bad thing indeed) Just an illustration of how people can mix things up.

I hope your brother will be fine. Let us know!

Laurie

 

[epcotfan]

I will keep your brother in my prayers.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with the other nurses, the sternum can't herniate.