Swedish Thoracic Surgery has a specific clinic that is designed to care for patients with newly fractured ribs, both complicated and uncomplicated. This is accomplished by screwing a small, customized, titanium plate across the fractured segment(s) of the rib to achieve surgical fixation (stabilization) these plates realign the ribs and speed up the healing process. These treatment options continue to be utilized and are effective for many patients with uncomplicated rib fractures.įor more complicated rib fractures, we may also consider early surgical intervention to stabilize the unstable and/or displaced fractures. Historically, good pain control and the use of a stabilizing elastic binder (to wrap around the chest) have been the only treatment options for most rib fractures. These complicated fractured ribs are often more unstable during activity and breathing and will likely take longer to heal some may never heal normally.ģD reconstruction of fractured ribs before surgery
However, at times, the fractures are considered complicated either because multiple breaks are present on each fractured rib, causing the broken segments to be unstable, or the broken ends are severely displaced. These fractures can usually be managed conservatively with simple pain control and time. These uncomplicated fractures are usually not displaced, allowing for realignment during the healing process and minimal movement when breathing and moving. Rib fractures are most often uncomplicated, which means that the fractured rib or ribs are broken in one place. Additionally, when people are in pain they eat less, they cannot sleep well and they are unable to move freely or participate in their normal activities, including work. Poor pain management renders the patients unable to effectively breathe deeply, placing them at risk for collapse of the air sacs in their lungs (atelectasis) and at higher risk for infection in their lung (pneumonia). Pain management is a top priority in the care of patients with rib fractures. This pain results mostly from the movement of the broken ends: with each motion or deep breath, the unstable ends move and pain ensues. It will often take upwards of six weeks and sometimes up to six months for the fractures to heal and for patients to become entirely pain-free. Pain is the most common symptom that people experience with rib fractures. These problems are important to diagnose following chest trauma and even more importantly, when present, they need to be closely monitored during the early post-traumatic period. Rib fractures may also contribute to the development of a lung infection or pneumonia. Rib fractures can cause serious complications including bleeding in the chest (hemothorax), collapse of the lung (pneumothorax), or fluid accumulation in the chest (pleural effusion), just to name a few. Nearly 300,000 people are seen each year for rib fractures, and 7 percent of this population will require hospitalization for medical, pain and/ or surgical management.
Rib fractures are the most common chest injury, accounting for 10 to 15 percent of all traumatic injuries in the U.S. The Rib Fracture Clinic at Swedish specializes in treatment of all types of these fractures.
Treatment options range from pain management to surgery.
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