Abstract

REYES MARTINEZ, Margarita L.; ALFONSO ALFONSO, Lázaro E.; FRIAS MENENDEZ, Eloy  and  NODA SARDINAS, Constantino L.. Methods of flail chest treatment and their correlation with predictive indexes. Rev Cub Med Mil [online]. 1999, vol.28, n.2, pp.93-97. ISSN 0138-6557.

Twenty-four medical histories of multitrauma patients diagnosed with flail chest from January 1989 to December 1994 at "Dr. Carlos J. Finlay" and "Dr. Luis Díaz Soto" hospitals were reviewed to comparatively analyze various therapeutical methods. A predictive index called TRISS was used to obtain the survival probabilities of each injured person. None of the methods was predominantly used but a higher efficiency was found in the stabilization of chest wall with Kirsimmer wires, the internal fixation and the combination of both methods. No one died in spite of a survival probability of 83.4; 81.7 and 87.8 % respectively in the different groups under treatment. In this type of trauma, the mortality rate and complications not only depend on the type of therapy used but also on the level of pulmonary contusion and the associated injury severity.

Keywords : FLAIL CHEST [therapy]; FLAIL CHEST [mortality]; INJURY SEVERITY SCORE.

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