Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39856347›Full record

ArticleEuropean journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society2025

Post-discharge complications and follow-up timing after hospitalization for traumatic rib fractures.

Taylor N Anderson, Michelle Earley, Sarah J Rockwood, Elizabeth J Zudock, Samantha L Steeman, Jianna K Footman, Samuel Castro, Alexandra A Myers, Renceh A B Flojo, Joseph D Forrester

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Article in European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

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10 authors.

Taylor N AndersonDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, USA. tand@stanford.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8608-8343
Michelle EarleyDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Sarah J RockwoodSchool of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Elizabeth J ZudockSchool of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Samantha L SteemanSchool of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Jianna K FootmanSchool of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Samuel CastroSchool of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Alexandra A MyersDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Renceh A B FlojoDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.
Joseph D ForresterDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo evaluate frequency and timing of post-discharge complications in patients with traumatic rib fractures undergoing operative or nonoperative management.

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed adult patients with rib fractures admitted to a Level 1 trauma center from 1/2020 to 12/2021. Outcomes included rib-related complications, pneumonia within 1 month, new diagnosis of opioid- or alcohol-use disorder, and all-cause mortality. Patients were stratified on whether they underwent surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF). Associations between risk factors and outcomes were evaluated through Fine and Gray hazard models with death (or in-hospital death for the post-discharge death outcome) as a competing risk.

resultsOf 976 patients admitted with rib fractures, 904(93%) underwent non-operative therapy and 72(7%) underwent SSRF. Nonoperative patients had less-severe injuries and shorter ICU length-of-stay. Rib-related complications occurred in 13(1%) nonsurgical patients and 4(6%) surgical patients. In the nonsurgical group, presence of hemo/pneumothorax on admission was associated with increased risk of rib-related complications [subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR) (95% CI): 5.95(1.8, 19.67)]. Pneumonia within 1 month occurred in 9(1%) nonsurgical patients and 1(1%) surgical patient. New diagnosis of alcohol or opioid-use disorder was made in 14(2%) nonsurgical patients and 1(1%) surgical patients. All-cause mortality was 68(8%) in the nonsurgical group and 2(3%) in the surgical group. Older age was associated with mortality in the nonsurgical cohort [SHR (95% CI): 1.83(1.46, 2.28)].

conclusionPost-discharge rib-related complications were rare in both groups, but occurred primarily within 2 weeks, suggesting concentrated earlier follow-up may be beneficial. These findings help inform recommendations for follow-up in this population.

Indexed as

Postoperative ComplicationsRib FracturesAdultAgedFemaleHospital MortalityHumansLength of StayMaleMiddle AgedPatient DischargePneumoniaRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsTime FactorsTrauma CentersHemothoraxInjuryPneumoniaRib fixationRib fractureTrauma

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PMID39856347

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