Costosynthetic stabilization of massive chest wall instability

Operative stabilization of massive chest wall instability is described in 38 patients. 35 patients were young combat casualties with penetrating chest injuries operated upon at front hospitals with limited resources, two patients sustained automobile accidents with blunt thoracic trauma resulting in an extensive flial chest and one patient with elective chest wall resection for soft tissue sarcoma. Intramedullary K-Wires were universally used as costosynthetic stabilizers. The results were classified as good to excellent in comparison to non operative or other complex operative procedures and a very low mortality rate was achieved as compared to our past experience and the surgical literature.