Comparison of minimally invasive surgery for non-flail chest rib fractures: a prospective cohort study

Yang Li; Erji Gao; Yi Yang; Zongli Gao; Weiwei He; Yonghong Zhao; Weiming Wu; Tiancheng Zhao; Xiang Guo

doi:10.21037/jtd-19-2586

Comparison of minimally invasive surgery for non-flail chest rib fractures: a prospective cohort study

J Thorac Dis. 2020 Jul;12(7):3706-3714. doi: 10.21037/jtd-19-2586.

Authors

Yang Li¹, Erji Gao¹, Yi Yang¹, Zongli Gao¹, Weiwei He¹, Yonghong Zhao¹, Weiming Wu¹, Tiancheng Zhao¹, Xiang Guo¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Thoracic surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.

Abstract

Background: To evaluate therapeutic efficacy of minimally invasive and small incision surgery [minimally invasive surgery (MIS)] in patients with non-flail chest rib fractures through a prospective cohort study.

Methods: This study included 98 patients with non-flail chest rib fractures (≥3 displaced fractures) and 66 patients undergoing MIS served as the experimental group and 32 patients receiving conservative treatment served as the matched control group. Pain index and indicators of pulmonary function [vital capacity (VC); forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1); peak expiratory flow (PEF)] for the two groups were assessed and compared at the time of admission and before discharge. In addition, duration of pain, time required for the patient to regain the ability to perform daily self-care, mental labor, and moderate-to-severe physical labor, and duration of chest discomfort were measured during long-term follow-up and compared between the two groups.

Results: There were also no significant differences (P>0.05) in pain index (8 vs. 8) or indicators of pulmonary function (VC: 31.0% vs. 26.5%; FEV1: 29.9% vs. 26.7%; PEF: 15.2% vs. 12.0%) were found between the MIS and conservative treatment groups at the time of admission; while pain index (3 vs. 6), VC (42.1% vs. 35.3%), and FEV1 (44.2% vs. 35.9%) were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05) but not in PEF (21.2% vs. 19.6%) before discharge. Long-term follow-up showed that duration of pain, time required for the patient to regain the ability to engage in daily self-care, mental labor, and moderate-to-severe physical labor, and duration of chest discomfort in the MIS group were significantly more improved than in the conservative treatment group (P<0.05).

Conclusions: MIS was a simple and safe treatment that significantly relieved chest pain and rapidly restored pulmonary function and improved the long-term quality of life of patients with non-flail chest rib fractures of ≥3 ribs with displacement.

Keywords: Non-flail chest rib fractures; minimally invasive surgery (MIS); pain index; pulmonary function; rapid recovery.