title: Effect of Panax notoginseng in patients with multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate whether the combination of conventional treatment and Panax notoginseng (PN group) is superior to conventional treatment alone (CG group) in reducing the clinical symptoms of patients with multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients treated for multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions with either conventional treatment (n = 17) or P. notoginseng (n = 18). Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores and arterial oxygen saturation were measured at baseline and at 1 and 2 weeks following treatment. The duration of mechanical ventilation, systemic analgesics, and hospital stay were also recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VAS scores in the PN group were lower than in the CG group at 1 week (p < 0.01) and at 2 weeks (p < 0.05). Arterial oxygen saturation in both groups was higher after treatment than at baseline (p < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p > 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation, systemic analgesics administration, and hospital stay in the PN group was remarkably decreased as compared to the CG group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining conventional treatment and P. notoginseng seems to be an efficient method that can improve the clinical symptoms of multiple fractured ribs and pulmonary contusions.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedics Department, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tianhong
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yuxi
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhimin
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Baili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003288:Contusions / Q000628:therapy*; D055866:Earthquakes; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D055048:Integrative Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D007902:Length of Stay; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D053723:Panax notoginseng / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012272:Ribs / Q000293:injuries; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010100:Oxygen