Flail chest: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
{{Infobox_Disease | | {{Infobox_Disease | | ||
Name = {{PAGENAME}} | | Name = {{PAGENAME}} | | ||
Image = | Image = Image:Flail chest mechaincs.jpg | | ||
Caption = | Caption = [[Paradoxical motion]] | | ||
DiseasesDB = 32227 | | DiseasesDB = 32227 | | ||
ICD10 = {{ICD10|S|22|5|s|20}} | | ICD10 = {{ICD10|S|22|5|s|20}} | | ||
| Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{SI}} | {{SI}} | ||
{{CMG}} | {{CMG}} | ||
| Line 20: | Line 19: | ||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
A '''flail chests''' occurs when a segment of the [[Chest|thoracic]] wall breaks under extreme stress and becomes detached from the rest of the chest wall. | A '''flail chests''' occurs when a segment of the [[Chest|thoracic]] wall breaks under extreme stress and becomes detached from the rest of the chest wall. | ||
Revision as of 17:58, 14 February 2009
| Flail chest | |
| Paradoxical motion | |
| ICD-10 | S22.5 |
| ICD-9 | 807.4 |
| DiseasesDB | 32227 |
| eMedicine | med/2813 |
| MeSH | D005409 |
|
WikiDoc Resources for Flail chest |
|
Articles |
|---|
|
Most recent articles on Flail chest Most cited articles on Flail chest |
|
Media |
|
Powerpoint slides on Flail chest |
|
Evidence Based Medicine |
|
Clinical Trials |
|
Ongoing Trials on Flail chest at Clinical Trials.gov Clinical Trials on Flail chest at Google
|
|
Guidelines / Policies / Govt |
|
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Flail chest
|
|
Books |
|
News |
|
Commentary |
|
Definitions |
|
Patient Resources / Community |
|
Patient resources on Flail chest Discussion groups on Flail chest Patient Handouts on Flail chest Directions to Hospitals Treating Flail chest Risk calculators and risk factors for Flail chest
|
|
Healthcare Provider Resources |
|
Causes & Risk Factors for Flail chest |
|
Continuing Medical Education (CME) |
|
International |
|
|
|
Business |
|
Experimental / Informatics |
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Please Take Over This Page and Apply to be Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
Overview
A flail chests occurs when a segment of the thoracic wall breaks under extreme stress and becomes detached from the rest of the chest wall.
Causes
It is a serious, life-threatening chest injury often associated with underlying pulmonary injury and is most commonly seen in cases of significant blunt trauma.
This typically occurs when three or more ribs are fractured in two or more places, allowing that segment of the thoracic wall to displace and move independently of the rest of the chest wall. Flail chest can also occur when ribs are fractured proximally in conjunction with disarticulation of costochondral cartilages distally. For the condition to occur, generally there must be a significant force applied over a large surface of the thorax to create the multiple anterior and posterior rib fractures. Rollover and crushing injuries most commonly break ribs at only one point– for flail chest to occur a significant impact is required, breaking the ribs in two or more places.[1]
Presentation
The characteristic paradoxical motion of the flail segment occurs due to pressure changes associated with respiration that the rib cage normally resists:
- During normal inspiration, the diaphragm contracts and intercostal muscles push the rib cage out. Pressure in the thorax decreases below atmospheric pressure, and air rushes in through the trachea. However, a flail segment will not resist the decreased pressure and will appear to push in while the rest of the rib cage expands.
- During normal expiration, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles relax, allowing the abdominal organs to push air upwards and out of the thorax. However, a flail segment will also be pushed out while the rest of the rib cage contracts.
The constant motion of the ribs in the flail segment at the site of the fracture is exquisitely painful, and, untreated, the sharp broken edges of the ribs are likely to eventually puncture the pleural sac and lung, which may be fatal.
Treatment
Treatment of the flail chest initially follows the principles of Advanced Trauma Life Support. Further treatment includes:
- Good analgesia including intercostal blocks, avoiding narcotic analgesics as much as possible. This allows much better ventilation, with improved tidal volume, and increased blood oxygenation.
- Positive ventilation, meticulosly adjusting the ventilator settings to avoid barotrauma.
- Chest tubes as required.
- Adjustment of position to make the patient most comfortable and provide relief of pain.
Surgical fixation is usually not required.
References
- ↑ Bjerke, H Scott (June 16, 2006). "Flail Chest". eMedicine. Retrieved August 1, 2007.