Relation Between Injury Severity and Fractures of the First and/or Second Ribs in Blunt Chest Trauma at a Community-Based Hospital: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: Trauma is a major global health concern that contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality worldwide. Road traffic collisions (RTCs) are the most common cause of blunt chest trauma (BCT). First and/or second rib fractures (FSRFs) are often indicative of high-energy trauma. This study investigated the incidence, mechanisms of injury, management, and outcomes of FSRF in patients with BCT at a community-based hospital. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from all patients with BCT admitted to Al Ain Hospital between December 2014 and January 2020. Data for patients with FSRF were specifically reviewed. Information was obtained from the Al Ain Hospital Trauma Registry, which included all patients of all age groups who were admitted to the hospital or died in the emergency department during the study period. Results: During the study period, 958 patients with BCT were admitted to our institution, of whom 86 (9%) had FSRF. The most common mechanism of trauma was RTC in 62 (72.1%) patients. Patients with FSRF had significantly higher injury severity scores than those of patients with BCT without FSRF. Three patients with FSRF died (overall mortality, 3.5%) compared with 17 (1.9%) patients without FSRF. This difference was not statistically significant ( Conclusions: This study is consistent with previous reports demonstrating that FSRFs are associated with high-energy trauma and potentially serious intrathoracic and extrathoracic injuries. The importance of these fractures in blunt trauma should be recognized to endorse close monitoring and timely therapeutic intervention, which is supported by existing literature.