Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31768585›Full record

SynthesisEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2021

The evaluation of pulmonary function after rib fixation for multiple rib fractures and flail chest: a retrospective study and systematic review of the current evidence.

Jesse Peek, Reinier Bart Beks, Valerie Kremo, Nicole van Veelen, Alfred Leiser, Roderick Marijn Houwert, Björn-Christian Link, Matthias Knobe, Reto Hansjörg Babst, Frank Joseph Paulus Beeres

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
13citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
3.1field-weighted citation impact, top 8% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Epidemiology of combined clavicle and rib fractures: a systematic review.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2022
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Implant irritation and removal rates in operatively treated multiple rib fractures: a 49-month follow-up study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Observational
  4. Implant irritation and removal rates in operatively treated multiple rib fractures: a 49-month follow-up study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Observational
  5. Costal fracture assessment for relief and enhancement of quality of life-CARE study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Observational
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Long-term quality of life and functional outcome after rib fracture fixation.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2022
    Article
  13. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Jesse PeekDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland. jesse-peek@outlook.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0667-4076
Reinier Bart BeksDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Valerie KremoDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Nicole van VeelenDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Alfred LeiserDepartment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Roderick Marijn HouwertDepartment of Surgery, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Björn-Christian LinkDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Matthias KnobeDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Reto Hansjörg BabstDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
Frank Joseph Paulus BeeresDepartment of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Cantonal Hospital Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland.
University of Lucerne · CHUniversity Medical Center Utrecht · NL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe primary aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the pulmonary function after rib fixation for patients with multiple rib fractures and flail chest. Secondary, a systematic review was performed to give an overview of the current literature and to allow comparison with our results.

methodsAll adult (≥ 18 years) patients who underwent rib fixation for multiple rib fractures or flail chest between 2010 and 2018 and who received a control pulmonary function test during the postoperative follow-up at our level-1 trauma center were retrospectively reviewed. Secondary, the PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched to identify studies reporting on the pulmonary function after rib fixation. The primary outcome parameters were the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV

resultsOf the 103 patients who underwent rib fixation, a total of 61 (59%) patients underwent a pulmonary function test in our hospital and were ultimately included. In the majority of patients all pulmonary function parameters fell within the normal range of the reference values. Obstructive impairment was predominantly seen in patients with pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Patients with multiple rib fractures had better recovery compared to those with a flail chest. The systematic review included a total of 15 studies and showed comparable results.

conclusionThe present study demonstrates that rib fixation for multiple rib fractures or flail chest results in adequate recovery of the pulmonary function within 3 months after surgery. In addition, based on the current literature, further gradual improvement to maximum pulmonary values appears to occur during the first 12 months after rib fixation.

Indexed as

Flail ChestFractures, MultipleRib FracturesAdultFracture Fixation, InternalHumansRetrospective StudiesRibsFlail chestMultiple rib fracturesPulmonary functionRib fixation

Identifiers

PMID31768585
OpenAlexW2989987008

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.