Biomaterial Database

Clinical Outcomes of Surgical Stabilization of Flail Chest Injury. 2016

Benjamin C Taylor, and T Ty Fowler, and Bruce G French, and Neysa Dominguez

From the Grant Medical Center, Columbus, OH (Dr. Taylor, Dr. French, and Ms. Dominguez), and the Mount Carmel Medical Center, Columbus (Dr. Fowler).

BACKGROUND Recent reported success in surgical stabilization of flail chest has been described in small series, but scant evidence exists for this procedure in the orthopaedic literature. METHODS We reviewed 88 consecutive patients who underwent surgical stabilization of flail chest, along with 88 consecutive patients with flail chest who underwent traditional closed management before initiation of our algorithm change to surgical management. RESULTS Surgical stabilization of flail chest injuries led to statistically significant decreases in hospital length of stay, ventilator-dependency time, pneumonia, tracheostomy, and mortality rate. In addition, the presence of pulmonary contusion did not eliminate the significant improvements in the aforementioned variables. CONCLUSIONS Surgical stabilization of flail chest with modern techniques and implants provides significant improvements in both mortality and short-term outcomes. Although pulmonary contusion decreased overall outcomes across both cohorts, this factor did not alter the ability of rib fixation to improve outcomes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007902	Length of Stay	The period of confinement of a patient to a hospital or other health facility.	Hospital Stay,Hospital Stays,Stay Length,Stay Lengths,Stay, Hospital,Stays, Hospital
D008297	Male		Males
D008875	Middle Aged	An adult aged 45 - 64 years.	Middle Age
D011014	Pneumonia	Infection of the lung often accompanied by inflammation.	Experimental Lung Inflammation,Lobar Pneumonia,Lung Inflammation,Pneumonia, Lobar,Pneumonitis,Pulmonary Inflammation,Experimental Lung Inflammations,Inflammation, Experimental Lung,Inflammation, Lung,Inflammation, Pulmonary,Inflammations, Lung,Inflammations, Pulmonary,Lobar Pneumonias,Lung Inflammation, Experimental,Lung Inflammations,Lung Inflammations, Experimental,Pneumonias,Pneumonias, Lobar,Pneumonitides,Pulmonary Inflammations
D012121	Respiration, Artificial	Any method of artificial breathing that employs mechanical or non-mechanical means to force the air into and out of the lungs. Artificial respiration or ventilation is used in individuals who have stopped breathing or have RESPIRATORY INSUFFICIENCY to increase their intake of oxygen (O2) and excretion of carbon dioxide (CO2).	Ventilation, Mechanical,Mechanical Ventilation,Artificial Respiration,Artificial Respirations,Mechanical Ventilations,Respirations, Artificial,Ventilations, Mechanical
D005260	Female		Females
D005409	Flail Chest	A complication of multiple RIB FRACTURES; RIB and STERNUM fractures, or thoracic surgery. A portion of the THORACIC WALL becomes isolated from the RIB CAGE and exhibits paradoxical respiration.	Stove-in Chest,Chest, Flail,Chest, Stove-in,Stove in Chest
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000293	Adolescent	A person 13 to 18 years of age.	Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults