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Background: Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) continues to gain acceptance. Controversary exists around the number of rib fractures needing stabilization. We sought to analyze chest wall stability (CWS) after SSRF using finite element analysis (FEA) modeling in various rib fracture patterns, hypothesizing not stabilizing all fractures leaves the chest wall unstable.
Methods: FEA thoracic model development was described previously. Two fracture patterns with three case scenarios each were defined for right ribs 4 to 9. Fracture Pattern 1; Case 1-all 6 ribs with lateral fractures and no stabilization; Case 2-all six fractures stabilized; Case 3-only fractures 5 to 7 were stabilized. Fracture Pattern 2; Case 4-all six ribs fractured in a flail pattern (anterior-lateral and posterior-lateral) and no stabilization; Case 5-all 12 fractures stabilized; Case 6-only six anterior-lateral fractures were stabilized. Three assessment criteria were used to quantify thoracic motion: normalized mean absolute error (NMAE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), and normalized interfragmentary motion (NIFM).
Results: Fracture Pattern 1: Case 1-NMAE and NRMSE analysis demonstrated significant loss of CWS up to 50% with left axial rotation; Case 2-CWS almost completely returned to nonfractured state; Case 3-CWS loss up to 37%. Fracture Pattern 2: Case 4-up to 49% of CWS lost with right axial rotation; Case 5-less than 3% CWS lost; Case 6-over 40% CWS lost. For both fracture patterns, when stabilizing all fractures, NIFM decreased by 95%. In Case 3, NIFM decreased by 56% and in Case 6, NIFM increased by 1% at the non-stabilized fracture line.
Conclusion: Stabilizing all rib fractures significantly improves CWS. Not stabilizing both fractures of a flail segment worsens motion at the non-stabilized fractures.
Level Of Evidence: Therapeutic/Care Management; Level IV.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000004450 | DOI Listing |
Cureus
September 2025
Internal Medicine, California Hospital Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.
Delayed hemothorax (DHTX) is a possible sequelae of thoracic trauma, especially in the setting of patients being treated with anticoagulation. We report the case of an 81-year-old Caucasian man with a DHTX presenting 14 days following an initial emergency department (ED) visit with multiple rib fractures due to a fall from the patient's bed. Upon presentation to the ED a second time, the patient was hospitalized, tested positive for COVID-19, and on the second day of admission underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) without bleeding or other complications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInd Health
September 2025
Dokuz Eylul University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Occupational Medicine, Turkey.
Jockeys endure considerable physical and psychological demands, rendering them vulnerable to occupational injuries such as fractures, concussions, and soft tissue damage. This descriptive case series presents the medical and occupational histories of three professional jockeys with long-term disabilities following work-related accidents. Each individual commenced their jockey career in early adolescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pediatr Surg
September 2025
Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Seattle Children's Hospital, 4800 Sand Point Way NE, Ocean 9.A.220, Seattle, WA 98105, USA; Department of Surgery, University of Washington, 1959 Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
Purpose: First rib fractures in children are typically associated with high-impact trauma; atraumatic etiologies remain understudied. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the presentation and management of pediatric first rib fractures in the absence of major trauma.
Methods: This is a retrospective study of pediatric patients diagnosed with first rib fractures between 2000-2023 at a quaternary, free-standing children's hospital.
Injury
August 2025
Department of Orthopaedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China; Engineering Research Center of Bone and Joint Precision Medicine, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China. Electronic address:
Objective: This study aimed to comprehensively describe the clinical characteristics of rib fractures in patients with traumatic thoracic vertebral fractures (TVFs), and to develop machine learning (ML) models for predicting the risk of rib fractures.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients diagnosed with TVFs at a single hospital between January 2007 and November 2024, enrolling 1420 patients and 20 variables. Chest CT scans were used to confirm the presence of rib fractures and to examine their distribution characteristics.
BMJ Open
September 2025
Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Introduction: Blue light (peak wavelength 442 nm) has been shown to modulate the immune response in preclinical models of intra-abdominal sepsis and pneumonia. pathways involve optic nerve stimulation with transmission to the central nervous system, activation of parasympathetic pathways terminating at the spleen, and downstream immune effects including decreased inflammatory tissue damage and improved pathogen clearance. Related effects on pain mediators including proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin 6, TNF- α) and autonomic tone (increased parasympathetic outflow) suggest possible analgesic properties that would be highly relevant to a trauma population.
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