Apparatus for covering an exposed end of a severed sternum

An apparatus for at least partially covering an exposed end of a severed sternum of a patient after a sternotomy, the apparatus comprising:

• an inner layer having an inner layer length and an inner layer width and configured to be positioned with the inner layer length coincident with the exposed end;
• a pliable layer attached to the inner layer and positioned with a pliable layer length coincident with the inner layer length and a pliable layer width coincident with the inner layer width, the pliable layer having a first side and a second side along the pliable layer length, the first side having a first plurality of notches disposed at intervals along the pliable layer length and the second side having a second plurality of notches disposed at intervals along the pliable layer length, wherein the pliable layer and the inner layer are configured to be formed, during surgery, at the first plurality of notches and the second plurality of notches to shape the pliable layer and the inner layer to the curvature of the severed sternum and the pliable layer is plastically deformable such that it retains the formed shape;
• and
• an outer covering entirely covering outer surfaces of the pliable layer, such that the outer covering is configured to be engaged by a retractor.

A method of at least reducing bleeding from one or more exposed ends of a severed sternum of a patient after a sternotomy, wherein each of the one or more exposed ends includes sternal cortex and sternal medulla surfaces and the sternotomy exposes pectoralis major muscle, adipose tissue, and dermis of the patient, the method comprising:

• inserting an apparatus between two exposed ends of the severed sternum;
• situating an inner layer of the apparatus along the sternal cortex and the sternal medulla surfaces of one of the two exposed ends;
• and
• forming, during surgery, the inner layer and a pliable layer attached to the inner layer, the pliable layer having a pliable layer width and a pliable layer length and having a plurality of notches on each of first and second sides along the pliable layer length, such that the inner layer and the pliable layer are formed during surgery at the plurality of notches over the one of the two exposed ends to position the inner layer on the sternal cortex and the sternal medulla surfaces of the one of the two exposed ends, the pliable layer being plastically deformable such that the pliable layer retains the formed shape that the pliable layer is formed into during surgery.