Chondrosarcoma from the sternum: Reconstruction with titanium mesh and a transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap after subtotal sternal excision

Summary Background: Chondrosarcoma arising from the sternum is extremely rare and is often untreatable. Removal of the sternum for malignant tumor results in large defects in bone and soft tissue, causing deformi -ty and paradoxical movement of the chest wall and making subsequent repair of the thorax very important. We report a very rare patient with a chondrosarcoma of the sternum who underwent case chest wall resection, followed by reconstruction using a titanium mesh covered with a trans-verse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap. Case Report: A 63-year-old man was referred to our hospital with progressively enlarged swelling of his anterior chest wall. Physical examination showed a 2.5×2.0 cm mass fixed to the sternum, which was diag-nosed as a chondrosarcoma based on clinical findings, imaging characteristics and incision biop-sy results. The patient underwent a subtotal sternal and chest wall resection to remove the tumor, followed by reconstruction with a titanium mesh and a TRAM flap. There were no complications associated with surgery.