Rib Fixation for pediatric blunt chest trauma

Displaced rib fractures as the result of blunt chest trauma impairs chest wall mechanics, causes severe pain, and results in prolonged mechanical ventilation. Rib fixation plates have been developed and manufactured for use in adult patients with improved outcomes over expectant management. The authors report the first case of rib fixation using titanium plates in a child after sustaining significant blunt chest trauma. Prolonged positive pressure ventilation and chest wall splinting has been the mainstay for significant chest wall injuries since the 1950s [1]. Surgical fixation of flail segments can reduce the amount of time a patient is intubated and thereby decreases the risk of pneumonia [2].