Asternia is treated with surgery. Surgery may be recommended to prevent breathing difficulty and to protect the organs in the chest, particularly the heart. The type of surgery depends on the size of the gap between the ribs and the age of the affected individual. Ideally, surgery consists of closing the gap by connecting the existing bones of the chest; this is best done while the affected individual is very young. For older individuals or those with a wide space between the existing bones, surgery may include placing extra material (a prosthesis, made of cartilage or bone from another part of the body or synthetic/man-made materials) to fill the gap.