Chest Blunt Trauma of Less Than Three Rib Fractures: A Cohort of 250 Case Series

الملخص

Background: The most frequent bone fracture, rib fractures, affects 10–20% of individuals with violent trauma and, in extreme circumstances, can also injure the internal organs. Objective: To share our experience in treating individuals who have isolated rib fractures due to trauma without concurrent trauma and evaluate the importance of patients’ follow-up. Methods: This was a retrospective study of 250 patients (aged approximately 10 or more). All patients were initially treated without surgery. After management, the following information was collected: sex, fracture characteristics, mechanism of injury, age, selective CT scan examinations, and median follow-up time. Results: 250 consecutive patients aged 10 or older were enrolled; 184 (73.6%) of these patients were men, and their ages ranged from 10 to 67 (mean: 61.4; median: 65). False ribs (VIII-XII) were more affected, and the most frequent mechanism of rib fracture was a household accident. Associated injuries occurred in only 13 (5.2%) patients, and pneumothorax was the most frequent complication, which was recorded in 10 (4%) patients. Conclusions: While dealing with patients who have sustained thoracic trauma, a trauma team needs to be more informed to offer them effective treatment options. Accurate diagnosis, sufficient analgesia, and efficient physical treatment are necessary to prevent complications. Estimating the number of broken ribs can help management decisions and is crucial for categorizing patients who are at a high risk of complications.