Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39005708›Full record

ArticleTrauma surgery & acute care open2024

Time to surgical stabilization of rib fractures: does it impact outcomes?

Joseph D Forrester, Babak Sarani, Maximilian Peter Forssten, Yang Cao, Frank Hildebrand, Ahmad Mohammad Ismail, Marcelo A F Ribeiro, Shahin Mohseni

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Trauma surgery & acute care open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. "Anchor-type" incision for surgical stabilization of anterior rib fractures: a single center experience and evaluation.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026
    Article
  5. Article
  6. Regional anaesthesia techniques for management of severe chest wall trauma: a major trauma centre retrospective observational study.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2025
    Observational
  7. Article
  8. Review
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

8 authors.

Joseph D ForresterStanford University, Stanford, California, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6380-4880
Babak SaraniCenter of Trauma and Critical Care, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6247-3004
Maximilian Peter ForsstenSchool of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden.
Yang CaoClinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Orebro University, Orebro, Sweden.
Frank HildebrandDepartment of Orthopedics, Trauma, and Reconstructive Surgery, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Aachen, Germany.
Ahmad Mohammad IsmailSchool of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0003-3436-1026
Marcelo A F RibeiroDepartment of Surgery, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, Abu Dabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Shahin MohseniSchool of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Orebro, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0001-7097-487X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Rib fractures are common, morbid, and potentially lethal. Intuitively, if interventions to mitigate downstream effects of rib fractures can be implemented early, likelihood of developing these complications should be reduced. Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) is one therapeutic intervention shown to be useful for mitigating complications of these common fractures. Our aim was to investigate for association between time to SSRF and complications among patients with isolated rib fractures undergoing SSRF. Methods: The 2016-2019 American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program (TQIP) database was queried to identify patient >18 years with isolated thoracic injury undergoing SSRF. Patients were divided into three groups: SSRF ≤2 days, SSRF >2 days but <3 days, and SSRF >3 days. Poisson regression, and adjusting for demographic and clinical covariates, was used to evaluate the association between time to SSRF and the primary endpoint, in-hospital complications. Quantile regression was used to evaluate the effects of time to SSRF on the secondary endpoints, hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). Results: Out of 2185 patients, 918 (42%) underwent SSRF <2 days, 432 (20%) underwent SSRF >2 days but <3 days, and 835 (38%) underwent SSRF >3 days. Hemothorax was more common among patients undergoing SSRF >3 days, otherwise all demographic and clinical variables were similar between groups. After adjusting for potential confounding, SSRF >3 days was associated with a threefold risk of composite in-hospital complications (adjusted incidence rate ratio: 3.15, 95% CI 1.76 to 5.62; p<0.001), a 4-day increase in total hospital LOS (change in median LOS: 4.09; 95% CI 3.69 to 4.49, p<0.001), and a nearly 2-day increase in median ICU LOS (change in median LOS: 1.70; 95% CI 1.32 to 2.08, p<0.001), compared with SSRF ≤2 days. Conclusion: Among patients undergoing SSRF in TQIP, earlier SSRF is associated with less in-hospital complications and shorter hospital stays. Standardization of time to SSRF as a trauma quality metric should be considered. Level of evidence: Level II, retrospective.

Indexed as

Outcome Assessment, Health Carerib fracturesThoracic Surgical ProceduresTime-To-Treatment

Identifiers

PMID39005708
PMCPMC11243129

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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.