ArticleGeneral thoracic and cardiovascular surgery2022
VATS-assisted surgical stabilization of rib fractures in flail chest: 1-year follow-up of 105 cases.
Article in General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 27 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of flail and multiple simple rib fracture patterns among patients included in rib fracture studies; A systematic review and meta-analysis.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025Pooled it
- Chest Wall Injury Society recommendations for long-term follow-up after nonoperatively and operatively managed traumatic rib and sternal fractures.The journal of trauma and acute care surgery · 2025Guideline
- Comparative study of total thoracoscopic and traditional incision internal fixation for the treatment of multiple rib fractures.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025Article
- Reconsidering rib fixation: is a complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery approach the future for surgical stabilization?Journal of thoracic disease · 2025Article
- Feasibility and efficacy of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the surgical stabilization of rib fractures: a single-center retrospective cohort study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025Article
- Post-discharge complications and follow-up timing after hospitalization for traumatic rib fractures.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025Article
- Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF): the WSES and CWIS position paper.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2024Review
- Treatment of traumatic rib fractures: an overview of current evidence and future perspectives.Journal of thoracic disease · 2024Review
- When to proceed to surgical rib fixation?-A single-institution clinical experience.Journal of thoracic disease · 2023Article
- Surgical and perioperative management of flail chest with titanium plates: a French cohort series from a thoracic referral center.Journal of cardiothoracic surgery · 2023Observational
- 3D-printed external fixation guide combined with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of flail chest: a technical report and case series.Frontiers in surgery · 2023Article
- Management of tracheobronchial ruptures in blunt chest trauma: pushing the boundaries towards a minimally invasive surgical approach.AME case reports · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesEarly surgical stabilization of flail chest has been shown to improve chest wall stability and diminish respiratory complications. The addition of video‑assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) can diagnose and manage intrathoracic injuries and evacuate hemothorax. This study analyzed the outcome of our 7-year experience with VATS-assisted surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) for flail chest.
methodsFrom January 2013 to December 2019, all trauma patients undergoing VATS-assisted SSRF for flail chest were included. Patient characteristics and complications during 1-year follow-up were reported.
resultsVATS‑assisted SSRF for flail chest was performed in 105 patients. Median age was 65 years (range 21-92). Median injury severity score was 16 (range 9-49). Hemothorax was evacuated with VATS in 80 patients (median volume 200 ml, range 25-2500). In 3 patients entrapped lung was freed from the fracture site and in 2 patients a diaphragm rupture was repaired. Median postoperative ICU admission was 2 days (range 1-41). Thirty-two patients (30%) had a post‑operative complication during admission and six patients (6%) a complication within 1 year. In-hospital mortality rate was 1%. Six patients (6%) died after discharge, due to causes unrelated to the original injury.
conclusionsAddition of VATS to SSRF for flail chest seems helpful to diagnose and manage intrathoracic injuries and adequately evacuate hemothorax. The majority of complications are low grade and occur during admission. Further prospective research needs to be conducted to identify potential risk factors for complications and better selection for addition of VATS to improve care in the future.
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