ReviewWorld journal of orthopedics2017
Sternal metastasis - the forgotten column and its effect on thoracic spine stability.
Review in World journal of orthopedics, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed.
- Ultrasound-guided percutaneous screw fixation of sternal metastasis.Radiology case reports · 2025Article
- Article
- Classification of thoracic spine fractures: the four-column theory.International orthopaedics · 2023Review
- Palliative Arterial Embolization for Metastases of the Sternum.Cardiovascular and interventional radiology · 2023Article
- Percutaneous screw fixation and cementoplasty of metastatic sternal fracture: Descriptions of 2 cases.Radiology case reports · 2022Article
- Sternal resection and reconstruction for secondary malignancies.Journal of thoracic disease · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Sternal metastases are not studied extensively in the literature. There is a paucity of information on their role in metastatic disease. The concept of the fourth column was described by Berg in 1993, and has been proven in case report, clinically and biomechanical studies. The role of the sternum as a support to the thoracic spine is well documented in the trauma patients, but not much is known about its role in cancer patients. This review examines what is known on the role of the fourth column. Following this we have identified two likely scenarios that sternal metastases may impact management: (1) sternal pathological fracture increases the mobility of the semi-rigid thorax with the loss of the biomechanical support of the sternum-rib-thoracic spine complex; and (2) a sternal metastasis increases the risk of fracture, and while being medical treated the thoracic spine should be monitored for acute kyphosis and neurological injury secondarily to the insufficiency of the fourth column.
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Registered trials
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