title: Long-term patient outcomes after surgical stabilization of rib fractures.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rib fractures are common, and can be disabling. Recently, there has been increased interest in surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF). It is difficult to define long-term benefits of the procedure. This is a descriptive study of patient outcomes after SSRF.
  
  
  METHODS
  SSRF patients between April 2010 and August 2012 at a Level I trauma center were identified. Data were collected from the medical records. A telephone survey asking about pain, satisfaction, and employment was administered to patients after hospital discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred-one patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty (50%) patients completed the survey. Indications for SSRF included flail chest, displaced fractures, pain, and inability to wean from mechanical ventilation. Pain was gone at 5.4 ± 1.1 weeks post discharge. Satisfaction with SSRF on a scale of 1 to 10 was 9.2 ± .2. Ninety percent of employed patients returned to the same work at 8.5 ± 1.2 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSRF patients are satisfied and are able to return to normal activity with few limitations. A prospective study using modern rib fixation technology is needed to further define benefits.
authors: Division of Trauma Services and Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA. Electronic address: sarah.majercik@imail.org.
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Majercik
authors: Division of Trauma Services and Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA.
authors: Quinn
authors: Q
authors: Cannon
authors: Division of Trauma Services and Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA.
authors: Steven R
authors: SR
authors: Granger
authors: Division of Trauma Services and Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA.
authors: Don H
authors: DH
authors: VanBoerum
authors: Division of Trauma Services and Critical Care Medicine, Intermountain Medical Center, 5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, UT 84157, USA.
authors: Thomas W
authors: TW
authors: White
mesh_terms: D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Chest trauma; Flail chest; Outcomes; Rib fracture; Surgical stabilization of rib fractures