• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.79-82
• /
• 2015

Simple rib fracture is one of most common injury after blunt thoracic trauma found in approximately 7% to 40% of cases. Delayed traumatic diaphragmatic injury with massive hemothorax after rib fracture is rare but a potentially life-threatening condition. We present a rare case of a 79-year-old male with delayed diaphragmatic injury with massive hemothorax due to fracture of the lower ribs. Under thoracoscopy, hemothorax was evacuated, diaphragmatic rupture was identified and repaired, and the lower ribs were fixed with metal plate (s). Although simple lower rib fractures may be the only clinical finding, close observation and monitoring are required because of the possibility of diaphragmatic and/or intraabdominal organ injury.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제21권2호
• /
• pp.91-99
• /
• 2008

Purpose: Multiple rib fracture (MRF) and a hemopneumothorax accompany with most blunt chest traumas. We aimed to analyze the factors increasing the probability of a hemopneumothorax. In addition, other injuries accompanying MRF were analyzed. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 154 mutiple rib fracture patients who visited our hospital between January 2005 and December 2007. The medical records were reviewed for sex, age, mechanism of injury, location, number of fractures, distance of dislocated rib fragments, and presence of complications. We measured the distance of bony dislocations by using the PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System). Results: The average number of rib fractures was $3.7{\pm}2.1$, and the number of rib fractures significantly influenced the incidence of a hemothorax (p<0.001). The risk of a hemothorax was increased in a bilateral MRF compared to a unilateral MRF (p=0.027). The distance of dislocated rib fragments influenced the probability of a hemothorax significantly (p=0.018), and subcutaneous emphysema and lung contusion were significantly associated with a pneumothorax (p=0.021, p=0.036). Conclusion: The number of MRFs did not influence the risk for a pneumothorax, but did influence the risk for a hemothorax. The laterality, distance of dislocation, also had an influence on the risk for a hemothorax. Also, subcutaneous emphysema and lung contusion were increased in cases with a pneumothorax. We must consider the possibility of a hemothorax even when the initial chest X-ray shows no evidence of a hemothorax. If a lung contusion is present, then an occult pneumothorax must be considered.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.362-368
• /
• 2023

Purpose: Clinical reports on treatment outcomes of sternal fractures are lacking. This study details the clinical features, treatment approaches, and outcomes related to traumatic sternal fractures over a 10-year period at a single institution. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients admitted to a regional trauma center between January 2012 and December 2021. Among 7,918 patients with chest injuries, 266 were diagnosed with traumatic sternal fractures. Patient data were collected, including demographics, injury mechanisms, severity, associated injuries, sternal fracture characteristics, hospital stay duration, mortality, respiratory complications, and surgical details. Surgical indications encompassed emergency cases involving intrathoracic injuries, unstable fractures, severe dislocations, flail chest, malunion, and persistent high-grade pain. Results: Of 266 patients with traumatic sternal fractures, 260 were included; 98 underwent surgical treatment for sternal fractures, while 162 were managed conservatively. Surgical indications ranged from intrathoracic organ or blood vessel injuries necessitating thoracotomy to unstable fractures with severe dislocations. Factors influencing surgical treatment included flail motion and rib fracture. The median length of intensive care unit stay was 5.4 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1.5-18.0 days) for the nonsurgery group and 8.6 days (IQR, 3.3-23.6 days) for the surgery group. The median length of hospital stay was 20.9 days (IQR, 9.3-48.3 days) for the nonsurgery group and 27.5 days (IQR, 17.0 to 58.0 days) for the surgery group. The between-group differences were not statistically significant. Surgical interventions were successful, with stable bone union and minimal complications. Flail motion in the presence of rib fracture was a crucial consideration for surgical intervention. Conclusions: Surgical treatment recommendations for sternal fractures vary based on flail chest presence, displacement degree, and rib fracture. Surgery is recommended for patients with offset-type sternal fractures with rib and segmental sternal fractures. Surgical intervention led to stable bone union and minimal complications.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제31권1호
• /
• pp.12-15
• /
• 2018

Rib fixations for flail chest or displaced rib fractures are not a new technique. However, reports on rib fixations involving costal cartilage fractures are very few and surprisingly there are no reports of internal fixations involving only the costal cartilage in the English literature. The diagnosis is difficult and the necessity of the procedure may be quite controversial. Placing plates in screws into the costal cartilage alone may seem unstable and easily dislodged or stripped through the cartilage. We report a 31-year-old male scuba diver instructor who underwent rib fixations over his 7th and 8th costal cartilage ribs for severe pain. The procedure was done with conventional plates and screws. He had the plates and screws removed 2 months later due to lingering pain, but with them removed he is now quite happy with the results without pain. The procedure for fixation of painful overlapped costal cartilage is quite simple and can be done with the usual conventional methods, fixating plate and screws directly over the cartilage alone without fixation over the bony rib.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제29권3호
• /
• pp.185-188
• /
• 2016

The $12^{th}$ rib syndrome is a disease that causes pain between the upper abdomen and the lower chest. It is assumed that the impinging on the nerves between the ribs causes pain in the lower chest, upper abdomen, and flank. A 74-year-old female patient visited a pain clinic complaining of pain in her back, and left chest wall at a 7 on the 0-10 Numeric Rating scale (NRS). She had a lateral fixation at T12-L2, 6 years earlier. After the operation, she had multiple osteoporotic compression fractures. When the spine was bent, the patient complained about a sharp pain in the left mid-axillary line and radiating pain toward the abdomen. On physical examination, the $10^{th}$ rib was not felt, and an image of the rib-cage confirmed that the left $10^{th}$ rib was severed. When applying pressure from the legs to the $9^{th}$ rib of the patient, pain was reproduced. Therefore, the patient was diagnosed with $9^{th}$ rib syndrome, and ultrasound-guided $9^{th}$ and $10^{th}$ intercostal nerve blocks were performed around the tips of the severed $10^{th}$ rib. In addition, local anesthetics with triamcinolone were administered into the muscles beneath the $9^{th}$ rib at the point of the greatest tenderness. The patient's pain was reduced to NRS 2 point. In this case, it is suspected that the patient had a partial resection of the left $10^{th}$ rib in the past, and subsequent compression fractures at T8 and T9 led to the deformation of the rib cage, causing the tip of the remaining $10^{th}$ rib to impinge on the $9^{th}$ intercostal nerves, causing pain.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제50권5호
• /
• pp.346-354
• /
• 2017

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.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.31-33
• /
• 2015

Traumatic aortic injury is well recognized as a primary cause of instantaneous death in victims of thoracic blunt trauma presenting with an aortic rupture or dissection, particularly after a deceleration injury. However, a direct aortic injury caused by a fractured rib segment after blunt thoracic trauma is extremely rare. We report the case of a 43-year-old male patient who experienced an aortic injury caused by the sharp edge of a fractured rib after multiple rib fractures due to blunt thoracic trauma.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.315-321
• /
• 1997

저자들은 1994년 1월부터 1995년 12월까지 비관통성 늑골골절로 인하여 도시지역에 위치한 조선대학 교 부속병원 흉부외과에 입원한 326명의 환자와,농촌지역에 위치한 전남 화순중앙병원 흉부외과에서 입원 치료 받았던 환자 102명에 대하여 임상적 차이를 서로 비교하였다. 가장 흔한 연령층은 도시지역 30∼50대, 농촌지 역 40∼60대 였고 남녀비는 전체지 역에서 남자에서 3배이상의 많은 빈도를 보였다. 비 관통성 늑골골절의 가장 흔한 원인은 양 그룹에서 교통사고가 가장 많았으며 두번째로 많은 원인은 도 시지 역은 추락사고로 355례중 66례(20.2%), 농촌지 역은 농기구 사고로 102례중 18례(17.6%)였다. 손상 부위별로는 도 · 농간. 유의한 차이없이 좌측에서 많았고 가장 흔한 늑골골절은 3번에서 6번까지의 늑골 이었다. 수상후 첫 1시간내에 내원한 경우는 도시지역이 16.0%, 농촌지역이 23.5%로 차이를 보였다. 치 료는 보존적 치료, 흉강천자술, 폐쇄성 흉관 삽관술, 개흉술 등으로 하였는데, 도시지역이 326례중 134 례(41.1%), 농촌지역of 102례중 81례(79.4%)에서 보존적 요법을 시 행하였고, 개흉술은 도시지 역이 37례 (11.3%),농촌지역이 3례 2.9%)에서 시행하여 도시지역이 농촌지역에 비하여 더 적극적인 치료방법을 선택하는것으로 나타났다. 전체 사망률은 도시지역이 4.29%(14례), 농촌지역이 1.96%(2례)였고 사망원 인은 출혈성 쇽, 뇌부종 등이었다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.411-417
• /
• 1979

During the period of 4 years from August 1, 1975 to August 1, 1979, authors have experienced 100 cases of multiple rib fractures by nonpenetrating injury at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Paik Foundation Hospital in Seoul, Korea. 1. The ratio of male to female patients with multiple rib fracture was 2.6:1 with male predominance and 84% of the total cases were between 20 and 50 years of age. 2. The most common cause of multiple rib fracture was traffic accident and falls accounted for the next largest group. 3. The most common site of rib fracture was 4th rib to 7th rib level on both hemithorax [52%]. 4. Associated injuries were cerebral contusion in 26%, clavicular fracture in 22%, long bone fracture in 22%, pelvic bone fracture in 10%, and scapular fracture in 8%. 5. Early complications and/or result of the multiple rib fractures were lung contusion in 23 cases, subcutaneous emphysema in 21 cases, hemothorax in 21 cases, hemopneumothorax in 6 cases, and flail chest in 12 cases. 6. The flail chests were managed by strapping the chest with adhesive plaster, external traction of flail segment with towel clip, ventilatory assistance for marginal clinical indications, and in cases of complicated with intrathoracic hemorrhage, wire fixation of flail segment through open thoraco-tomy. 7. The principles of therapy for hemothorax and/or pneumothorax were rapid reexpansion of the lungs by thoracentesis [11%] and closed thoracostomy [22%], but open thoracotomy had to be done on 3 cases because of massive bleeding or intrapleural hematoma and diaphragmatic rupture. 8. The over all mortality was 4% [4 among 100 cases] and the cause of all deaths was head injury.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• 제42권4호
• /
• pp.502-508
• /
• 2009

배경: 늑골 골절은 흥부 외상 중에 둔상으로 인한 손상 중 가장 흔한 질환이다. 하지만 늑연골 골절은 연골 부위의 석회화가 동반되지 않는 한 고전적인 흉부 방사선 검사에서 잘 관찰되지 않으며, 이러한 이유로 고전적인 흉부 방사선 검사로는 늑연골 골절의 진단에 한계가 있다 이에 저자들은 고전적인 흉부 방사선 검사에서 간과 되었던 늑연골 늑골 골절의 진단을 위하여 경미한 흉부 둔상 환자에게 흉벽 초음파 검사를 시행하였다. 대상 및 방법: 2008년 4월부터 2009년 3월까지 본원을 내원한 환자를 대상으로 하였고, 고전적 방사선 검사에서 이상 소견이 없었으며 중증 손상을 의심할 만한 병변이 없는 총 45명의 환자를 대상으로 하였다. 이들 중 여성은 24명, 남성은 21명이었으며, 평균 연령은 50.4$\pm$15.91세(17$\sim$76)였다. 상기 대상자들은 7.5-MHz 직선 탐촉자를 지닌 초음파 기기를 이용하여 흉벽 초음파 검사를 시행하였다 결과: 대상이 된 45명의 환자들 중 30예(67%)에서 늑연골 골절을 관찰할 수 있었고, 15예(33%)에서는 특별한 이상 소견이 관찰되지 않았다. 골절을 지닌 30명의 평균적인 골절 개수는 1.6$\pm$0.81 부위(1$\sim$4)였다. 늑연골 골절의 가장 흔한 동반 소견은 골막 주위 혈종으로 7예(17%)에서는 골절 소견과 동반되어 관찰되었고 1예(2%)에서는 골절 소견 없이 관찰되었다. 두 번째 흔한 동반 소견은 흉골 골절이었고, 5예(12%)에서는 연골 부위 늑골 골절과 동반되어 관찰되었고, 1예(2%)에서는 흉골 골절만 관찰되었다. 결론: 흉벽 초음파 검사는 경미한 흉부 외상 환자에게서 간과되었던 늑연골 골절의 진단에 유용한 방법으로 사료된다.