[Voletopexy: fixation of flail ribs (personal procedure)]

The authors recommend a simple procedure, efficient in cases with thoracic flaps, called voletopexia. The thoracic flaps are severe complications of thoracic trauma, accompanied by paradoxal respiration, mediastinal pendullation, severe respiratory failure, frequently in association with subcutaneous and/or mediastinal emphysema, parietal hematomas, haemothorax or haemopneumothorax, pulmonary tissue ruptures, or ruptures of the large vessels. The method proposed consists in a fixation of the mobile flap to the intact ribs above and under it by one or two knits with double thread, in a perpendicular direction with regard to the ribs. The authors experience is based on 11 cases that have been satisfactorily solved. The procedure is recommended for generalization.