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Ann Thorac Surg 1990;49:135-136
© 1990 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Articles

Sternal wire-induced persistent chest pain: A possible hypersensitivity reaction

Department of Anesthesiology, Pain Management Center, and Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Accepted for publication June 9, 1989.

^_* Address reprint requests to Dr Fine, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, 50 N Medical Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84132.

Persistent chest pain has been reported to be a relatively common complaint after operations through a median sternotomy approach. We report a case that we believe represents a sternal pain syndrome resulting from sensitivity to nickel in the stainless steel sternal wires. In view of the high incidence of nickel sensitivity in the general population, we question whether such sensitivity may be involved in similar poststernotomy pain syndromes when any other clear-cut pathophysiological process is not apparent.

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