title: An unexpected complication of titanium rib clips.
abstract: Surgical stabilization of the rib fractures has been successfully performed for the management of pain in multiple rib fractures, fixation of chronically painful nonunion, reduction of overriding ribs, and flail chest cases. Herein we report a patient who was treated with titanium rib clips after a motor vehicle accident leading to pulmonary parenchymal laceration and multiple painful rib fractures. Three of the rib clips were broken 4 months after the operation. The patient underwent the second operation for restabilization of the broken ribs. We review the relevant literature, with particular emphasis on the management of this complication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ufuk University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: tevfikkaplan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Tevfik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sincan Nafiz Korez State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gultekin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gulbahar
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Sincan Nafiz Korez State Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet Gokhan
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Gundogdu
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ufuk University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012086:Reoperation; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D012272:Ribs / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*