[History of thoracic stabilization].

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Chest trauma management has evolved significantly over the past century.
• Early methods included external fixations and artificial lung ventilation.
• The development of internal fixation techniques marked a major advancement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the evolution of thoracic stabilization techniques for chest trauma.
• To identify trends in surgical approaches and fixation methods.
• To highlight the current preference for stable osteosynthesis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of 220 reports on chest trauma treatment.
• Analysis of historical and current surgical fixation methods.
• Examination of the progression from external to internal fixation and ORIF.

Main Results:

• The evolution progressed from external fixation to internal fixation with plates and screws.
• Pneumatic internal fixation (artificial lung ventilation) was replaced by ORIF.
• A "second renaissance" in the last decade emphasizes active, early complex surgical solutions using stable osteosynthesis implants.

Conclusions:

• Modern thoracic stabilization for trauma prioritizes early, active surgical intervention.
• Stable osteosynthesis using advanced implants is the current standard of care.
• The field continues to advance, favoring definitive surgical stabilization over less invasive methods.