ReviewFrontiers in surgery2026
Long-term quality of life and chronic pain after surgical vs. non-operative treatment of rib fractures: systematic review and meta-analysis.
Review in Frontiers in surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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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.
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.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) is increasingly used, yet its long-term impact on patient-centered outcomes remains uncertain. Evidence regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and chronic chest wall pain after SSRF vs. non-operative management is lacking. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating SSRF and non-operative treatment in adults with traumatic rib fractures. Primary outcomes were long-term HRQoL (≥3 months) and chronic chest wall pain. Secondary outcomes included tracheostomy. Effect sizes were pooled as standardized mean differences (SMDs), risk ratios (RRs), or mean differences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Fourteen studies involving 1,947 patients met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies ( Conclusions: SSRF has no demonstrated long-term HRQoL benefit and may be associated with more chronic chest wall pain than non-operative management. Prospective studies with standardized long-term assessments are needed. Systematic Review Registration: PROSPERO CRD420251245598.
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