A B737-200 FLC FLIES THEIR ACFT WITH AN OPEN LOGBOOK ITEM REGARDING THE BROKEN THIGH SUPPORT ON THE FO'S SEAT.

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WE REMAINED OVERNIGHT IN SDF MAR/XB/98; AND FLEW THIS ACFT 1 LEG FROM SDF TO TPA ON MAR/XC/98. THE ACFT HAD REMAINED OVERNIGHT IN BWI MAR/XA/98; AND THE CREW WROTE UP THE FO'S SEAT AS HAVING A BROKEN THIGH SUPPORT BUT THEY DID NOT DISCUSS IT WITH MAINT OR DISPATCH; THEY JUST ASSUMED MAINT WOULD SEE IT THAT NIGHT IN BWI. THE ACFT FLEW BWI TO MDW ON MAR/XC/98; AND HAD A CREW CHANGE IN MDW AND THAT CREW BROUGHT IT TO US IN SDF. WE TOOK OVER THE ACFT IN SDF ON A CREW CHANGE BUT SINCE THERE WERE NO DEFERRED MAINT OR MEL ITEMS ANNOTATED ON THE DISPATCH RELEASE OR IN THE LOGBOOK WE DID NOT SEE THE WRITE-UP. I DON'T KNOW WHAT PAGE THE WRITE-UP WAS ON BUT IT MUST HAVE BEEN PRIOR TO THE LAST AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE ANNOTATED IN THE LOGBOOK OR I BELIEVE WE WOULD HAVE SEEN IT. THE L THIGH SUPPORT WAS NOT AS RIGID AS THE R ONE BUT IT CERTAINLY POSED NO PROB WHATSOEVER AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I BELIEVE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN UP. WE WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS BY A PHONE CALL AT THE HOTEL IN TPA FROM ONE OF OUR CHIEF PLTS; WHO SUGGESTED WE FILE THIS RPT; SINCE TECHNICALLY WE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT WITH AN OPEN WRITE-UP. I THINK THE KEY TO PREVENTING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS COM AND EDUCATION. WHEN AN ACFT IS TERMINATED IF THE CREW WRITES SOMETHING UP IT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED WITH MAINT.