Which is the most prominent symptom in cases of isolated rib fractures?
In cases of isolated rib fractures, the diagnosis is primarily clinical.
- The most prominent symptom is exquisite focal pain exacerbated by deep breathing.
- Palpating may produce tenderness or crepitus of the rib fragments.
What is the primary therapy for isolated rib fractures?
- The primary therapy for isolated rib fractures is pain control in conjunction with aggressive pulmonary toilet injuries.
What is the definition of “multiple rib fractures”?
- Fractures of three or more ribs are noted as “multiple rib fractures”.
What does “flail chest “mean?
- A “flail chest” is a segment of the chest wall that does not have bony continuity with the rest of the thoracic cage.
- The condition usually results from blunt trauma associated with multiple rib fractures i.e. three or more ribs fractured in two or more places.
How can explain the paradoxical movement of the flail segment in thoracic trauma patients with flail chest?
The paradoxical movement of the flail chest segment is caused by:
- Negative (-ve) intrapleural pressure generated during inspiration.
- Paradoxical flail segment motion allows to-and-fro gas movements (“pendelluft”) in the airway during spontaneous respiration.