title: [Rib cage ostheosynthesis. Literature review and case reports].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fractures of the chest wall include sternum and rib fractures. Traditionally they are managed conservatively due to the anatomy of the rib cage that allows most of them to remain stable and to form a callus that unites the fractured segments. In spite of this management, some patients present with chronic pain or instability of the wall which makes them require some type of fixation. The present article performs a literature review based on 4 cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first case was a 61 year-old man with blunt chest trauma, with a great deformity of the chest wall associated with subcutaneous emphysema, and pneumothorax. The second case was a 51 year-old man with blunt chest trauma, initially managed at another institution, who despite treatment, had persistent pain and dyspnoea. The third case was a 30 year-old man that suffered a motor vehicle accident, with resulting pain and crepitation of the rib cage and with diagnostic images showing multiple rib fractures. The last case is a 62 year-old man that fell down the stairs, with blunt chest trauma with high intensity pain, dyspnoea and basal ipsilateral hypoventilation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rib fracture fixation offers a good alternative in selected patients to decrease associated morbidity, leading to a patient's fast return to his or her working life.
authors.affiliation: Cirugía de Tórax, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe, Bogotá, Colombia. Electronic address: jaejimenezq@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrés
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Quijano
authors.affiliation: Cirugía de Tórax, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Varón-Cotés
authors.affiliation: Cirugía de Tórax, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Luis Gerardo
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: García-Herreros-Hellal
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Espinosa-Moya
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Radiología, Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rivero-Rapalino
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salazar-Marulanda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005594:Fracture Fixation, Intramedullary; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Fracturas costales; Fracture fixation; Osteosynthesis; Osteosíntesis; Reducción abierta; Rib fractures