@article{ref1,
title="Limited influence of flail chest in patients with blunt thoracic trauma - a matched-pair analysis",
journal="In vivo",
year="2019",
author="Getz, Peter and Mommsen, Philipp and Clausen, Jan-Dierk and Winkelmann, Marcel",
volume="33",
number="1",
pages="133-139",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Flail chest is considered as one of the most severe forms of blunt thoracic trauma. However, its actual influence on post-traumatic morbidity and mortality is debatable. <br><br>MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed of multiply injured patients (injury severity score ≥16) at a level I trauma center. Flail chest was defined as segment fracture of at least three consecutive ribs on at least one side. Propensity score matching was performed. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 600 patients were included, with a mean age of 44.1±19.1 years and a mean injury severity score of 31.6±10.4. Overall, 367 patients (61.2%) had a serial rib fracture. Forty-five patients (7.5%) presented with flail chest. Patients with flail chest more often had lung contusions (70 vs. 50%, p=0.04) and pneumo-/hematothorax (93 vs. 71%, p=0.005). There were no differences in post-traumatic morbidity and mortality. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Flail chest had no independent influence in addition to injury severity on post-traumatic morbidity and mortality in multiply injured patients with blunt thoracic trauma.<br><br>Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0258-851X",
doi="10.21873/invivo.11449",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.21873/invivo.11449"
}