Sternal wire-induced persistent chest pain: a possible hypersensitivity reaction.

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.