Outcome of Surgical Fixation of Multiple Fractured Ribs at Sohag University Hospital

The ribs are rigid and flexible structures that make up the chest skeleton and are a set of twelve paired bones. After Blunt trauma rib fractures incidence is about 30 to 40% [1].

Due to trauma, (4th -9th) ribs are often affected and the fracture point of the ribs is often on the midaxillary line. In ( 1st&2nd) ribs fractures subclavian vessels and brachial plexus damage may occur. In fractures in the lower ribs (8th-12th ribs), intra-abdominal organs injury such as liver, spleen and kidney should be investigated. 11-12. ribs fractures are rare because the ribs are more flexible (floating).

Pain is the most important symptom indicating rib fracture, and it usually increases with coughing, breathing, and movement. Broken rib ends can be felt with palpation with sever tenderness at the site of fracture. Pneumothorax and/or hemothorax may develop as a result of the sharp end of the broken rib causing lung parenchymal damage[2].