European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Dec 2023
Meta AnalysisSurgical versus non-surgical treatment of flail chest: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Conflicting evidence exists on the choice of surgical or non-surgical treatment of flail chest injuries. We aimed to perform a meta-analysis comparing outcomes in patients presenting flail chest undergoing surgical or non-surgical treatment. ⋯ Our results suggest that surgical treatment is advantageous compared to non-surgical treatment for patients with flail chest secondary to rib fractures.
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Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg · Dec 2023
Review Meta AnalysisThoracostomy tube withdrawal during latter phases of expiration or inspiration: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
In patients with thoracic injuries, tube thoracostomy is routinely employed. There is disagreement over which manner of tube withdrawal is best, the latter phases of expiration or inspiration. Considering several earlier investigations' inconsistent findings, their comparative effectiveness is still up for debate. In light of this, we carried out a systematic analysis of studies contrasting the withdrawal of thoracostomy tubes during the latter stages of expiration versus inspiration for traumatic chest injuries. Analyzed outcomes are recurrent pneumothoraces, reinsertion of the thoracostomy tube, and hospital stay. ⋯ The thoracostomy tube can be removed during both the end-expiratory and end-inspiratory stages of respiration with no appreciable difference. Nevertheless, caution should be exercised when ascertaining the implications of these findings, taking into account the potential limitations and confounding variables that may exert influence upon the outcomes.