Frequency of Multiple Consecutive Rib Fracture after Blunt Chest Trauma.
- Author:
Eun Yung RUE
;
Tae Wook KWON
;
Kwan Mo YAANG
;
Seog Hee PARK
;
Young Joo KIM
;
Sung Hoon KIM
;
Young Bo SON
;
Kyung Ah CHUN
- Publication Type:Original Article
- MeSH:
Humans;
Retrospective Studies;
Rib Fractures*;
Ribs*;
Thorax*
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
1997;8(4):571-575
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: to determine the frequency of the multiple consecutive rib fracture after blunt chest trauma. DESIGN, MATERIALS, AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all the radiographs and medical charts of 87 patients with rib fractures after blunt chest trauma. Rib fractures were divided into single aud multiple. The multiple rib fractures were subclassified as consecutive, interrupted continuous, or random. RESULTS: Thirteen cases of single and 83 cases of multiple rib fractures were present. Among the 83 cases of multiple fractures, there were 73 cases (88%) of consecutive fractures, 5 cases (6%) of interrupted continuous fractures and 5 cases (6%) of random fractures. CONCLUSION: Among the multiple rib fractures consecutive rib fractrues are much more common than noncontiguous rib fractures. We recommend that if one find an apparently nonfractured rib between contiguously fractured upper and lower ribs, one should meticulously search for possible fracture of an apparently normal rib with high-index of suspicion.
