Kyobu geka. The Japanese journal of thoracic surgery
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Between 1992 and 2011, 22 patients underwent surgery of reconstruction of thoracic wall with curved metal plates for multiple rib fracture and resection of thoracic wall tumor. They were divided into 2 groups according to original disorders. Twelve cases of group A accepted surgical stabilization of traumatic multiple rib fractures with the metal plates fixed on the fractured ribs as an external brace. ⋯ Only 2 patients needed removal of the fixed plates due to pyothorax caused by pneumonia after crushing thoracic injuries. The long metal reconstruction plates with many perforations were very useful for reconstruction of chest wall because they were long enough to cover the whole length of widely resected chest defects and moderately soft enough to be appropriately bent or twist by hand at the time of operation. Moreover long-term result of the reconstructed chest wall was safe and satisfactory without severe complication.