Surgical rib fixation - technical aspects

Surgical rib fixation (SRF) for severe rib fracture injuries is increasingly becoming an accepted treatment modality. There is now adequate evidence in randomised controlled trials that rib fixation in flail chest patients reduces ventilator times, intensive care stay and costs of treatment in ventilator dependent patients [1-3]. Despite this, rib fixation has not become standard of care for these patients and remains a treatment modality practised by few centres, usually those with large trauma loads who see high volumes of severe rib fracture injury patients. The purpose of this article is to outline the available prostheses, indications, operative planning and techniques of rib fixation. Surgical approaches to rib fractures in anterior, lateral and posterior positions are described as are the use of currently available cortical and medullary fixation prostheses.