title: [Clinical impact of rib fractures in single and multiple trauma].
abstract: In a retrospective study we evaluated the data regarding 126 patients (96 male/30 female) hospitalized with rib fractures between 1986 and 1989. Fifty percent of the subjects had been in a traffic accident. Eighty-five percent of the patients had 2-7 broken ribs. Sixty-two patients suffered from multiple injuries, 40% were men aged less than 40 years. Fifty-six patients were treated by pleural drainage either for hemato- and/or pneumothorax or to prevent intrapleural tension during surgical intervention under endotracheal anesthesia. Thirty-two patients underwent mechanical ventilation for between 1 and 52 days (mean 10 days). In five cases a flail chest was stabilized by ribosteosynthesis to avoid prolonged artificial ventilation. Pain relief by continuous peridural Carbostesin (bupivacaine) administration was given to 31 patients. There was a positive correlation between the incidence of pneumo- and hematothorax and the number of broken ribs. A significant association was found between multiple-injured patients died in hospital; six of them had multiple injuries. The recovery of 44 patients was interrupted by complications, predominantly of pulmonary origin (68%). The pattern and severity of concomitant injuries and interference of complications influenced the length of the hospital stay; pulmonary complications doubled it.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Thorax-, Herz- und Gefässchirurgie, Inselspital Bern, Schweiz.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lüdi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inderbitzi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stirnemann
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Ris
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000401:mortality*; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*
vernacular_title: Der klinische Stellenwert von Rippenfrakturen beim Einfach- und Mehrfachverletzten.