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Related Concept Videos

Flail Chest-I01:24

Flail Chest-I

356
Overview of Flail Chest
Flail chest is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition characterized by the fracture of three or more adjacent ribs in multiple places. It is most commonly caused by direct impacts and trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents or injuries from a steering wheel impact. It can also occur due to falls in elderly individuals with osteoporosis, or assaults involving sharp objects.
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of flail chest is complex, involving fractures of...
356
Flail Chest-II01:26

Flail Chest-II

333
Managing flail chest, a condition characterized by a segment of the chest wall moving independently from the rest of the thoracic cage, requires a comprehensive approach. It includes a thorough assessment of the patient's condition, a diagnostic evaluation to determine the extent of the injury, and the implementation of appropriate medical interventions tailored to the individual's needs.
Assessment:
1. Clinical Evaluation:
History:
333
Pneumothorax-II01:27

Pneumothorax-II

555
Pneumothorax is a medical condition defined by the buildup of air in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall. This accumulation of air can lead to partial or complete lung collapse, resulting in a range of clinical manifestations. Understanding the clinical presentation and effective management strategies is crucial for healthcare professionals in providing timely and appropriate care to individuals with pneumothorax.
Clinical Manifestations:
555
The Thoracic Cage: Ribs01:20

The Thoracic Cage: Ribs

6.1K
Ribs are curved, flattened bones forming the thoracic cavity wall with the thoracic muscles. There are 12 pairs of thoracic ribs. The posterior ends of all the ribs articulate with the T1–T12 thoracic vertebrae. In contrast,the anterior ends of most ribs attach to the sternum via their costal cartilages.
Parts of a Typical Rib
A typical rib has a head, neck, and body. The posterior end of the rib is called the head, followed by a narrow neck. The head articulates primarily with the costal...
6.1K
Pneumothorax-I01:26

Pneumothorax-I

686
A pneumothorax is a condition where air builds up in the space between the lung and the chest wall, causing the lung to collapse. This condition arises when air enters the space between the parietal and visceral pleura, disrupting the negative pressure essential for lung inflation. This can lead to a partial or complete collapse of the lung.
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
686
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care01:29

Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care

90
Diagnosing Pulmonary EmbolismDiagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE) involves clinical assessment and advanced imaging tests. The preferred diagnostic tool is the spiral (helical) CT scan or CT angiography (CTA), which uses intravenous contrast media to visualize the pulmonary vasculature and identify emboli.A ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) scan is an alternative for patients unable to receive contrast media. This scan includes both perfusion and ventilation scanning. Perfusion scanning involves...
90

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Nov 5, 2025

Surgical Fixation of Sternal Fractures: Preoperative Planning and a Safe Surgical Technique Using Locked Titanium Plates and Depth Limited Drilling
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Multiple rib fractures: does flail chest matter?

Yaakov Daskal1, Maya Paran2, Alexander Korin3

  • 1Surgical Division, Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Hadera, Israel kobidaskal@gmail.com.

Emergency Medicine Journal : EMJ
|May 14, 2021
PubMed
Summary

Flail chest in patients with multiple rib fractures is associated with higher rates of pneumothorax, especially with three to five fractures. Its significance diminishes with six or more fractures, questioning its reliability as a severity marker.

Keywords:
chestfractures and dislocationspneumothoraxtrauma

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Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Treatment of the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
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Transaxillary First Rib Resection for Treatment of the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
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Area of Science:

  • Trauma surgery
  • Thoracic surgery
  • Emergency medicine

Background:

  • Multiple rib fractures are linked to significant patient morbidity and mortality.
  • Flail chest is a severe consequence of blunt chest trauma.
  • The clinical significance of flail chest, particularly in relation to associated injuries and outcomes, requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare clinical outcomes and associated chest injuries in patients with and without flail chest.
  • To analyze the impact of flail chest on patients with three or more rib fractures.
  • To determine if flail chest is a reliable indicator of injury severity across different fracture counts.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 407 blunt trauma patients with at least three rib fractures (2010-2019).
  • Comparison of patients with and without radiologically defined flail chest.
  • Data collected included demographics, Injury Severity Score (ISS), GCS, SBP, associated chest injuries, ICU and hospital length of stay, and mortality.

Main Results:

  • Flail chest was present in 19.4% of patients (79/407).
  • Pneumothorax and haemothorax were more frequent in the flail chest group (p<0.05).
  • In patients with 3-5 rib fractures, flail chest correlated with higher pneumothorax incidence (50.0% vs 24.6%, p<0.05) but not mortality or length of stay. No significant differences were observed in patients with 6+ fractures.

Conclusions:

  • Flail chest is associated with increased pneumothorax risk in patients with 3-5 rib fractures.
  • The clinical significance of flail chest in patients with 6 or more rib fractures is questionable.
  • Flail chest may not be a reliable marker for chest injury severity in patients with extensive rib fractures (6+).