Outcomes of operative treatment of floating sternocostal fractures

Abstract

Introduction Severe chest injury with associated trauma to the rib cage, hemothorax, contusion of the lung, heart, ruptures of the mediastinal vessels, diaphragm is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with polytrauma. Methods An algorithm for the examination and treatment of patients with severe chest trauma was developed, and new methods of treatment protected by 5 patents proposed. Results We report outcomes of 29 patients with multiple floating fractures of the rib cage which were stabilized, reduced and repaired with devices and frames developed by the authors. Discussion Less traumatic methods of costosternal stabilization of multiple chest injury have shown to be effective in stabilization of patients’ condition, improvement of pain, respiratory function properly maintaining the reduced bone.

Keywords

• floating rib fractures
• sternal defect
• sternocostal complex
• external fixation device