Understanding of flail chest injuries and concepts in management

Abstract

Flail chest in thoracic injuries can be a cause of concern, as in the presence of associated injuries; it carries high morbidity and mortality. Flail chest injuries usually result from deceleration injuries and may be associated with sternal fracture, aortic and tracheobronchial disruption. Flail chest influences the morbidity encountered in multiple injured patients. The clinical presentation of the flail chest depends on the size of the flail segment, the intrathoracic pressure gradient during breathing, and the associated injury to the lung and thoracic wall. Treatment of these patients depends on the physiologic impairment caused by the flail segment and the severity of other associated injuries.