Postoperative complications after rib fracture repair

Abstract

Complications related to rib fracture fixation must be discerned from complications directly related to the underlying chest trauma. Pneumonia, empyema, ARDS, and prolonged ventilation are all common in this population, but it appears that these complications may be reduced with rib fracture fixation suggesting that they are not the result of fixation in most cases. Patients undergoing fixation have low rates of wound infection, hardware infection, plate migration, bleeding, chronic pain, dyspnea, or chest tightness. Further long-term follow-up studies determine the true incidence of these complications.