title: [Multiple rib fractures associated with cough].
abstract: Cough is a common symptom in ambulatory practice and in general does not require specific treatment. When the cough is chronic it can provoke complications such as syncope, pneumothorax or, rarely, rib fractures. We report a case of a patient with multiple rib fractures caused by cough. The diagnosis was performed by scintigraphy but fractures were not found in the x-rays. Five months later, a scintigraphy showed disappearance of the increased uptake areas. Multiple rib fractures are a cough complication which should be considered when the patient's pain is persistent even if there is no x-ray evidence.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Neumonología, Hospital Británico, Perdriel 74, Buenos Aires, Argentina. marbosio@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Martín
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosio
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Bárbara C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Finn
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Silvia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Quadrelli
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chertcoff
mesh_terms: D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D003371:Cough / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*