Costochondritis
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Basics
Description
Costochondritis is chest pain that emanates from a costal cartilage and is reproducible on compression of that cartilage.
Epidemiology
- Frequency of sternal wound infections following median sternotomy is 0.1–1.6%.
- Costochondritis accounts for 10–31% of all pediatric chest pain.
- Peak age for chest pain in children is 12 to 14 years.
Pathophysiology
- Inflammation of unknown etiology (Histologic examination is usually normal.)
- Infection
- Can present months to years after surgery (The costal cartilage is avascular, making it vulnerable to infection if it has been exposed, injured, or denuded of perichondrium.)
- Complication of median sternotomy
- Occurs by spread from adjacent osteomyelitis or may arise de novo during surgery
Etiology
- Infectious
- Bacterial
- Staphylococcus aureus (especially after thoracic surgery)
- Salmonella (in sickle cell disease)
- Escherichia coli
- Pseudomonas sp.
- Klebsiella sp.
- Fungal
- Aspergillus flavus
- Candida albicans
- Bacterial
- Posttraumatic injury
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Basics
Description
Costochondritis is chest pain that emanates from a costal cartilage and is reproducible on compression of that cartilage.
Epidemiology
- Frequency of sternal wound infections following median sternotomy is 0.1–1.6%.
- Costochondritis accounts for 10–31% of all pediatric chest pain.
- Peak age for chest pain in children is 12 to 14 years.
Pathophysiology
- Inflammation of unknown etiology (Histologic examination is usually normal.)
- Infection
- Can present months to years after surgery (The costal cartilage is avascular, making it vulnerable to infection if it has been exposed, injured, or denuded of perichondrium.)
- Complication of median sternotomy
- Occurs by spread from adjacent osteomyelitis or may arise de novo during surgery
Etiology
- Infectious
- Bacterial
- Staphylococcus aureus (especially after thoracic surgery)
- Salmonella (in sickle cell disease)
- Escherichia coli
- Pseudomonas sp.
- Klebsiella sp.
- Fungal
- Aspergillus flavus
- Candida albicans
- Bacterial
- Posttraumatic injury
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