Objective To evaluate clinical efficacy of four-claw Ti-planes for internal fixation of multiple rib fractures and flail chest. Methods Clinical data of 93 patients with multiple rib fractures and flail chest who were admittedto Shanghai Pudong Hospital from December 2011 to November 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 78 male and 15 female patients with their age of 20-80 years. All the patients received internal fixation of rib fractures using four-clawTi-planes. Finite element modeling and analysis were performed to investigate biomechanical behaviors of rib fractures after internal fixation with four-claw Ti-planes. Results The average number of rib fractures of the 93 patients was 5.9±2.1，and each patient received 3.8±1.3 four-claw Ti-planes for internal fixation. The operations were performed 6.3±3.2 days after admission. After the rib fractures were fixed with four-claw Ti-planes，rib dislocations and chest-wall collapse of flail chest were restored，and patients’ pain was relieved. Postoperative CT image reconstruction of the chest showed no dislocationor displacement at the fixation areas of the four-claw Ti-planes. Rib fractures were stabilized well，and normal contours of the chest were restored. Finite element analysis showed that the maximum bearable stress of the rib fractures after internal fixation with four-claw Ti-planes was twice as large as normal ribs. Conclusion Clinical outcomes of four-claw Ti-planesfor internal fixation of rib fractures are satisfactory with small incisions and less muscle injury of the chest wall，so this technique deserves wide clinical use.
Objective To study the indications, methods, and therapeutic effect of absorbable rib-connecting-pins fixation in the treatment of multi ple rib fractures. Methods Between March 2007 and September 2009, 40 patients with multiple rib fractures received internal fixation with absorbable rib-connecting-pins, including 8 one-side flail chest and 1 twoside flail chest. There were 32 males and 8 females with an average age of 39.8 years (range, 25-72 years). The injury was caused by traffic accident in 32 cases, fall ing from height in 6 cases, and blunt hitting in 2 cases. Preoperatively, imaging data of the chest X-ray or spiral CT three-dimensional (3D) examination showed that all patients had multiple ribs fractures and displacement. The number of fractured ribs was 4-10 (median, 6), and the fracture location ranged from the 2nd to the10th ribs. Of them, 28 cases were accompanied by hemathorax, pneumathorax or hemopneumothorax; 5 cases by thoracic organ injury; and 10 cases byother part trauma. The time from injury to hospital ization was less than 1 day in 26 cases, 1-3 days in 12 cases, and 3-6 days in 2 cases, and the time from hospital ization to operation was 3 hours to 3 days (mean, 1.2 days). Results The median fixation rib number was 5 (range, 3-8). The mean operative time, the time in bed, and hospital ization days were 32 minutes (range, 15-50 minutes), 4.5 days (range, 2-7 days), and 11.2 days (range, 5-18 days), respectively. All incisions healed by first intention. No pulmonary infection, pulmonary atelectasis, intrathoracic infection or other compl ications occurred. All cases were followedup 6-12 months (mean, 8 months). PaO2 [(86.6 ± 2.2) mmHg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa)] and SpO2 (97.2% ± 0.6%) at 2 hours after operation were obviously improved when compared with preoperative ones [PaO2 (53.6 ± 4.7) mm Hg and SpO2 (86.2% ± 1.8%)], showing significant differences (t=2.971, P=0.005; t=2.426, P=0.020). The chest X-ray films or spiral CT 3D indicated that fracture of rib healed within 3-6 months (mean, 4.5 months) after operation. Conclusion Severe collapsed chest wall orflail chest caused by fracture of multiple ribs should be treated by absorbable rib-connecting-pins, which is a simple, firm, and effective method.
The incidence of rib fracture in patients with chest trauma is about 70%. Simple rib fractures do not need special treatment. Multiple rib fractures and flail chest are critical cases of blunt trauma, which often cause serious clinical consequences and need to be treated cautiously. Nowadays, there is a controversy about the diagnosis and treatment of multiple rib fractures and flail chest. In the past, most of the patients were treated by non-operative treatment, and only less than 1% of the patients with flail chest underwent surgery. In recent years, studies have confirmed that surgical reduction and internal fixation can shorten the hospital stay, and reduce pain and cost for patients with flail chest, but there is still a lack of relevant clinical consensus and guidelines for diagnosis and treatment, which leads to great differences in clinical diagnosis and treatment plans. This article reviewed the treatment, surgical indications and surgical timing of multiple rib fractures and flail chest.