A Clinical Study of Intercostal Neuropathy after Rib Fracture.
- Author:
Jung Hun KANG
1
;
Seog Ki LEE
;
Min Bum SEO
;
Jeong Yeop NA
;
Jae Hyouk JANG
;
Kweon Young KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Korea. chcs@chosun.ac.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Trauma;
Rib fracture;
Intercostal nerve;
Pain;
Electromagnetics
- MeSH:
Back Pain;
Body Mass Index;
Chest Pain;
Electromagnetic Phenomena;
Electromyography;
Female;
Humans;
Hypesthesia;
Incidence;
Intercostal Nerves;
Male;
Muscles;
Muscular Atrophy;
Needles;
Neuralgia;
Paresthesia;
Rib Fractures;
Ribs
- From:The Korean Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery
2010;43(1):53-57
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate intercostal neuropathy after rib fracture and to determine the severity of intercostal neuropathy with using a numerical rating scale and according to the duration of pain and the body mass index. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We measured the positive sharp wave and fibrillation on the intercostal and paraspinal muscles in the thoracic region by performing needle electromyography in 47 patients who had intercostal neuralgia after rib fracture and who had needed daily analgesic for more than three months. RESULT: We diagnosed 11 cases as intercostal neuropathy among the 47 cases. Of the total 11 cases, 8 were male and 3 were female and they were most often of an active generation in the community. The common location of intercostal neuropathy was the intercostal space below the rib fracture and from the 7th to the 12th intercostal rib area. The incidence of intercostal neuropathy was significantly related with multiple rib fracture rather than single rib fracture. The symptoms observed were chest pain (90.9%), sensory change (81.8%), paresthesia and numbness (63.6%), back pain (27.2%) and muscle atrophy (18.2%). The numerical rating scale, the duration of pain and the body mass index showed no significant correlation with the severity of intercostal neuropathy. CONCLUSION: We concluded that the electrodiagnostic approach with considering the affecting factors and the clinical findings will be helpful for diagnosing and treating persistent intercostal neuralgic pain (more than 3 months) after rib fracture.
