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Fracture of the ribs: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Fracture of the ribs usually occurs with a blunt chest injury, often under the influence of a significant external force (for example, when the car stops abruptly, a baseball bat hits or falls from a height). However, in older people, fracture of the ribs can occur even with a slight external effect (for example, with a normal fall). Concomitant lesions can include ruptures of the aorta, subclavian artery, trauma of the heart (uncharacteristic, but may occur in some cases with severe inhibition, especially in fractures of the first or second rib), trauma to the abdominal cavity, especially the spleen (with a broken rib from VII to XII ), lung contusion, pneumothorax and other tracheobronchial lesions (rarely found).
[Symptoms of fracture of ribs
The pain is severe, it intensifies with coughing and deep inspiration, it lasts several weeks. Restriction of breathing (incomplete breath due to pain) can lead to atelectasis or pneumonia.
Treatment of fractured ribs
Treatment should include opioid analgesics. Since inhaling causes severe pain, and opioid analgesics inhibit breathing, patients should consciously and often (for example, once a hour) breathe deeply or cough. Hospitalization is subject to victims with fractures of 3 ribs and more or with signs of cardiopulmonary insufficiency. Immobilization (for example, a tight bandage) with fractures of the ribs should be avoided, as it restricts the respiratory movement and predisposes to atelectasis and pneumonia.