OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of thoracoscopic minimally invasive surgery with nickel-titanium shape memory alloy wrap bone plate versus rib periosteal internal fixation in patients with multiple rib fractures (MRF) and flail chest. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 100 patients with MRF and flail chest treated with thoracoscopic minimally invasive surgery and internal fixation with rib fracture preservation between January 2019 and December 2022, including 54 males and 46 females, aged from 20 to 65 years old, with an average age of (38.0±18.0)years old. The duration of the disease ranged from 8 to 21 days. According to the different surgical methods, the patients were divided into control group and study group, with 50 patients in each group. The control group consisted of 23 males and 27 females, with an average age of (38.35±18.05) years old, who underwent rib preservation periosteal internal fixation. In the study group, there were 31 males and 19 females, with an average age of (38.15±17.99) years old, treated with thoracoscopic nickel-titanium shape memory alloy circumferential bone plate. The pulmonary function indices, electrocardiographic monitoring indices, pain severity, levels of inflammatory factors, complications, rehabilitation indices, and therapeutic efficacy were compared between the two groups before and after treatment. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 6 months. After 3 days of treatment, the heart rate of both groups was (102.43±13.74) beats per minute vs (86.26±8.06) beats per minute, respiratory rate (28.45±3.40) breaths per minute vs (22.05±2.85) breaths per minute, blood oxygen saturation (89.68±3.66)% vs (98.46±4.84)%, rest pain (3.5±0.5) points vs (2.6±0.6) points, movement pain (3.6±0.5) points vs (2.5±0.5) points, and these differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). The levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) (102.30±17.00) pg·ml^-1 vs (85.68±21.20) pg·ml^-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)(33.44±4.85) pg·ml^-1 vs (18.14±4.28) pg·ml^-1 in both groups exhibited an increase post-treatment, while the C-reactive protein (CRP) (75.51±10.54) mg·L^-1 vs (60.75±9.84) mg·L^-1 demonstrated a decrease compared to pre-treatment levels. Furthermore, the study group displayed significantly lower levels than the control group (P<0.05). After 10 days of treatment, the peak expiratory flow rate (3.31±0.52) L·s^-1 vs (5.69±0.74) L·s^-1, forced expiratory volume (1.46±0.29) L vs (2.06±0.38) L, and forced vital capacity (2.68±0.95) L vs (4.26±1.05) L of both groups exhibited significant improvements compared to pre-treatment levels. Moreover, the study group demonstrated significantly higher values than the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in the study group was significantly lower compared to the control group (6 cases vs 14 cases, P<0.05). Additionally, the duration of bone callus formation(9.50±1.40) days and fracture healing (72.20±8.32) days in the study group was significantly shorter compared to the control group(11.35±2.15) days, (93.70±9.90) days (P<0.001). CONCLUSION Compared with traditional rib-preserving internal fixation, patients with MRF and flail chest treated with minimally invasive internal fixation with thoracoscopic nickel-titanium shape memory alloy surround bone plate have better therapeutic effect, because of less surgical trauma, less pain and inflammatory reaction, fewer postoperative pulmonary complications, faster and better recovery of lung function, and thus promote the recovery of patients.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Rib Fractures/surgery* ; Aged ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/methods* ; Flail Chest/surgery* ; Thoracoscopy/methods* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods*

Surgical stabilization of the flail chest is challenging and has no established guidelines. Chest wall integrity and stability are the main factors that ensure the protection of intrathoracic organs and an adequate respiratory function. Here, we report a novel chest wall reconstruction technique in a 45-year-old man with a traumatic left flail chest and open pneumothorax diagnosed both clinically and radiographically. Rib approximation and chest wall reconstruction was done using intercostal figure-of-eight suture and polypropylene mesh with vascularized musculofascial flap. The patient improved gradually and was discharged after three weeks of total hospital stay. He returned to regular working after a month with no evidence of respiratory distress or paradoxical chest movement. Follow-up visit at one year revealed no lung hernia or paradoxical chest movement. This is a novel, feasible and cost-effective modification of chest wall reconstruction that can be adopted for thoracic wall repair in case of open flail chest, which needs emergency surgical interventions even in resource constraint settings.
Flail Chest/surgery* ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polypropylenes ; Surgical Mesh ; Sutures ; Thoracic Wall/surgery*

Rib fracture is the most common injury in chest trauma. Most of patients with rib fractures were treated conservatively, but up to 50% of patients, especially those with combined injury such as flail chest, presented chronic pain or chest wall deformities, and more than 30% had long-term disabilities, unable to retain a full-time job. In the past two decades, surgery for rib fractures has achieving good outcomes. However, in clinic, there are still some problems including inconsistency in surgical indications and quality control in medical services. Before the year of 2018, there were 3 guidelines on the management of regional traumatic rib fractures were published at home and abroad, focusing on the guidance of the overall treatment decisions and plans; another clinical guideline about the surgical treatment of rib fractures lacks recent related progress in surgical treatment of rib fractures. The Chinese Society of Traumatology, Chinese Medical Association, and the Chinese College of Trauma Surgeons, Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts from cardiothoracic surgery, trauma surgery, acute care surgery, orthopedics and other disciplines to participate together, following the principle of evidence-based medicine and in line with the scientific nature and practicality, formulated the Chinese consensus for surgical treatment of traumatic rib fractures (STTRF 2021). This expert consensus put forward some clear, applicable, and graded recommendations from seven aspects: preoperative imaging evaluation, surgical indications, timing of surgery, surgical methods, rib fracture sites for surgical fixation, internal fixation method and material selection, treatment of combined injuries in rib fractures, in order to provide guidance and reference for surgical treatment of traumatic rib fractures.
China ; Consensus ; Flail Chest ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Rib Fractures/surgery* ; Thoracic Injuries

This research evaluated the clinical efficacy of three-wings rib plate in the treatment of multiple rib fractures and flail chest with mechanical analysis and clinical verification. The model of rib and three-wings rib plate was reconstructed. The contact simulation with pretension stress was applied to the plate's fixation, and it was found that the bearable stress of the rib fractures after fixation increased from the result which indicated a good fixation efficacy of the plate. Clinical data of 53 cases of rib fractures and flail chest treated with three-wings rib plate in Shanghai Pudong Hospital of Fudan University were retrospectively analyzed. After the operation, the pain of the patients was relieved. Postoperative CT reconstruction of the chest showed good restoration of the rib fractures, which verified the clinical efficacy of three-wings rib plate. The three-wings rib plate showed a high value in clinical use for treatment of rib fractures.
China ; Flail Chest/surgery* ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rib Fractures/surgery* ; Ribs

Physical traumas are tragic and multifaceted injuries that suddenly threaten life. Although it is the third most common cause of death in all age groups, one out of four trauma patients die due to thoracic injury or its complications. Blunt injuries constitute the majority of chest trauma. This indicates the importance of chest trauma among all traumas. Blunt chest trauma is usually caused by motor vehicle accident, falling from height, blunt instrument injury and physical assault. As a result of chest trauma, many injuries may occur, such as pulmonary injuries, and these require urgent intervention. Chest wall and pulmonary injuries range from rib fractures to flail chest, pneumothorax to hemothorax and pulmonary contusion to tracheobronchial injuries. Following these injuries, patients may present with a simple dyspnea or even respiratory arrest. For such patient, it is important to understand the treatment logic and to take a multidisciplinary approach to treat the pulmonary and chest wall injuries. This is because only 10% of thoracic trauma patients require surgical operation and the remaining 90% can be treated with simple methods such as appropriate airway, oxygen support, maneuvers, volume support and tube thoracostomy. Adequate pain control in chest trauma is sometimes the most basic and best treatment. With definite diagnosis, the morbidity and mortality can be significantly reduced by simple treatment methods.
Flail Chest ; therapy ; Hemothorax ; therapy ; Humans ; Lung Injury ; therapy ; Pain Management ; Pneumothorax ; therapy ; Rib Fractures ; therapy ; Thoracic Injuries ; therapy ; Thoracic Wall ; injuries ; Wounds, Nonpenetrating ; therapy

No abstract available.
Flail Chest ; Intestinal Diseases ; Strikes, Employee

Traumatic common carotid artery dissection (CCAD) is rare. To our knowledge, only 14 case reports have described traumatic CCAD previously. Here, we report a case of CCAD in a patient with severe trauma. A 50-year-old man was lying on the road after drinking alcohol when a car drove over him. Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple rib fractures with hemopneumothorax, lung contusion, flail chest, large amount of hematoma with bladder rupture, and fractures on the C6 spinous process, sacral ala, iliac bone, and pubic ramus. Repair of the bladder rupture, exploratory thoracotomy, and open reduction of multiple rib fractures were performed. Right side hemiparesis was observed on hospital day 4. Brain CT showed a large acute left middle cerebral artery infarction. CT angiography showed focal carotid dissection at the left common carotid artery with intimal flap. The CCAD was located at the C6 level. Clexane (enoxaparin sodium) treatment was initiated. An abdominal CT scan revealed a huge retroperitoneal hematoma and increased amount of hematoma in the prevesical and perivesical space, 10 days later. The patient died two days later. Although traumatic CCAD is rare, this case report provides useful information for trauma surgeons regarding the treatment and diagnosis of similar cases.
Angiography ; Brain ; Carotid Artery, Common* ; Contusions ; Deception ; Diagnosis ; Drinking ; Enoxaparin ; Flail Chest ; Hematoma ; Hemopneumothorax ; Humans ; Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery ; Lung ; Middle Aged ; Paresis ; Rib Fractures ; Rupture ; Surgeons ; Thoracotomy ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Urinary Bladder

Rib fractures are a common injury resulting from blunt chest trauma. The most important complications associated with rib fractures include death, pneumonia, and the need for mechanical ventilation. The development of new osteosynthesis materials has stimulated increased interest in the surgical treatment of rib fractures. Surgical stabilisation, however, is not needed for every patient with rib fractures or for every patient with flail chest. This paper presents an easy-to-use evidence-based algorithm, developed by the authors, for the treatment of patients with flail chest and isolated rib fractures.
Flail Chest ; Humans ; Mortality ; Pneumonia ; Respiration, Artificial ; Rib Fractures* ; Ribs* ; Thorax

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common disease that may contribute to morbidity and mortality among trauma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study evaluated the associations between trauma factors and the development of VAP in ventilated patients with multiple rib fractures. METHODS: We retrospectively and consecutively evaluated 101 patients with multiple rib fractures who were ventilated and managed at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2015, analyzing the associations between VAP and trauma factors in these patients. Trauma factors included sternal fracture, flail chest, diaphragm injury, traumatic aortic dissection, combined cardiac injury, pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, hemothorax, hemopneumothorax, abbreviated injury scale score, thoracic trauma severity score, and injury severity score. RESULTS: Forty-six patients (45.5%) had at least 1 episode of VAP, 10 (21.7%) of whom died in the ICU. Of the 55 (54.5%) patients who did not have pneumonia, 9 (16.4%) died in the ICU. Using logistic regression analysis, we found that VAP was associated with severe lung contusion (odds ratio, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.12 to 8.39; p=0.029). CONCLUSION: Severe pulmonary contusion (pulmonary lung contusion score 6–12) is an independent risk factor for VAP in ventilated trauma patients with multiple rib fractures.
Abbreviated Injury Scale ; Contusions ; Diaphragm ; Flail Chest ; Hemopneumothorax ; Hemothorax ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Intensive Care Units ; Logistic Models ; Lung ; Lung Injury ; Mortality ; Pneumonia* ; Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated ; Pneumothorax ; Retrospective Studies ; Rib Fractures* ; Ribs* ; Risk Factors* ; Thoracic Injuries ; Wounds and Injuries

More than a century ago, the first scientific report was published about fracture fixation with plates. During the 1950's, open reduction and plate fixation for fractures were standardized by the founders of Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur osteosynthesefragen/Association for the Study of Internal Fixation. Since the introduction of plate fixation for fractures, several plates and screws have been developed, all with their own characteristics. To accomplice more fracture stability, it was thought the bigger the plate, the better. The counter side was a compromised blood supply of the bone, often resulting in bone necrosis and ultimately delayed or non-union. With the search and development of new materials and techniques for fracture fixation, less invasive procedures have become increasingly popular. This resulted in the minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique for fracture fixation. With the MIPO technique, procedures could be performed with smaller incisions and thus with less soft tissue damage and a better preserved blood supply. The last 5 years rib fixation has become increasingly popular, rising evidence has become available suggesting that surgical rib fixation improves outcome of patients with a flail chest or isolated rib fractures. Many surgical approaches for rib fixation have been described in the old literature, however, most of these techniques are obscure nowadays. Currently mostly large incisions with considerable surgical insult are used to stabilize rib fractures. We think that MIPO deserves a place in the surgical treatment of rib fractures. We present the aspects of diagnosis, preoperative planning and operative techniques in regard to MIPO rib fixation.
Diagnosis ; Flail Chest ; Fracture Fixation ; Humans ; Necrosis ; Rib Fractures ; Ribs* ; Surgical Procedures, Minimally Invasive