• Pablo Moreno De La Santa Barajas, María Dolores Polo Otero, Carlos Delgado Sánchez-Gracián, Manuel Lozano Gómez, Alberto Toscano Novella, Julia Calatayud Moscoso Del Prado, Sonsoles Leal Ruiloba, and Maria L Choren Durán.
• Servicio de Cirugía Torácica, Hospital POVISA, Vigo, España. pmoreno@povisa.es
• Cir Esp. 2010 Sep 1; 88 (3): 180-6.

IntroductionRib fractures are very common in closed chest injuries. The majority of these patients suffer significant pain with movement and cough. The purpose of this study is to assess the usefulness of titanium rib bars and clips in stabilising rib fractures.Material And MethodsTwenty-two patients with rib fractures were treated with open reduction and internal fixation between 2008 and 2009. Indications for treatment were defined as; 1) Patients with unstable chest (13 patients), 2) Patients with pain or instability due to rib fractures (6 patients), and 3) Significant traumatic deformities of the chest wall (3 patients). Age, traumatic mechanism, chest and associated injuries, surgical data, complications and follow-up were prospectively analysed. The surgical technique is described.ResultsThe majority of patients were extubated immediately after surgery. All patients with pain or instability showed a subjective improvement or disappearance of pain after the surgery. Four patients had a wound infection which had to be drained. After 3 months, 55% of the patients had returned to work or normal life. The results in each group are described.ConclusionsOpen reduction with internal fixation of rib fractures is a good alternative. The use of titanium rib bars and clips give good clinical results, are easy to apply and have few complications.Copyright © 2010 AEC. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

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