A Case Report of a Polytraumatized Patient with Severe Anterior Flail Chest

Flail Chest (FC) is a most life-threatening complication of chest blunt trauma and it is defined as the fracture of three or more consecutive ribs, resulting in a paradoxical movement of a segment of the thoracic wall during spontaneous breathing. A 46 year-old patient had clinical presentation of post-traumatic, with a Computed Tomography (CT) scan showing multiple fractures of chondralsternal cartilage and sternal fractures. In a few hours the patient’s respiratory functionality and hemodynamic worsened so the patient underwent early Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures (SSRF). In this case we preferred to use the STRATOS system, placing rib clips with a connecting bar from the third rib to the fifth rib, with a positive outcome. Surgical stabilization of anterior FC is a safe procedure and reduces mortality, morbidity, duration of mechanical ventilation, Hospital Length of Stay (HLOS) and Intensive Care Unit Length of Stay (ICU-LOS). In polytraumatized patients, early stabilization of the anterior chest improves respiratory function, so as to safely allow any further necessary surgical interventions. Arianna Farronato*, Alberto Salvicchi, Sara Borgianni, Luca Voltolini and Alessandro Gonfiotti Thoracic Surgery Unit, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy