Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 23, 2026

The Transition to an Anterior-Based Muscle Sparing Approach Improves Early Postoperative Function but is Associated with a Learning Curve
Published on: September 7, 2022
Functional Outcomes After Muscle-Sparing Fixation of Flail Chest Injuries
Benjamin C Taylor1, Terry Ty Fowler2, Hemant Reddy1
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Grant Medical Center, Columbus, OH.
Objectives:
To present outcomes in a multicenter review of a large number of flail chest patients.
Design:
Retrospective case series.
Setting:
One urban Level I and 1 urban Level II trauma center.
Patients/Participants:
Fifty-two adult patients who underwent treatment of their flail chest injury with locking plate and screw constructs through muscle-sparing approaches, followed for a minimum of 1 year postoperatively.
Results:
All patients went on to successful union, with complication rates in line with recent published norms. Periscapular strength returned to greater than 90% of the noninjured side by 3 months postoperatively and to within a mean of 95% of the noninjured side by 6 months postoperatively. Glenohumeral range of motion similarly improved over this same interval.
Conclusions:
Use of anatomically designed modern locking plate and screw fixation constructs with muscle-sparing approaches results in efficient return to function and restoration of shoulder function and strength as compared with the noninjured shoulder.
Level Of Evidence:
Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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