Abstract
Background: Although chest wall stabilization (CWS) has been widely performed for rib fractures in the past decade in China, consensus about operative indication, timing, and technical details for CWS is not formulated yet. The aim of this study is to investigate the existing situation of surgical treatment for rib fractures in China. Methods: Four hundred and fourteen questionnaires were sent out to surgeons in different hospitals in China and collected between January 2018 and April 2018. Data were reviewed and extracted for analysis.Results: Three-hundred and seventy-one valid questionnaires were included in this study. About 14500 cases of CWS for rib fracture were performed in the investigated hospitals in 2016 and about 17600 cases in 2017. There were 38.3% hospitals performed chest wall stabilization for single rib fracture and 44.9% hospitals performed chest wall stabilization for two rib fractures. About 92.1% of CWS cases were performed within two weeks while 42.2% surgeons performed CWS for patients with rib fracture more than two weeks. CWS of was performed in 95.6% of hospitals and 93.2% cases were performed by thoracic surgeons. Nickel-titanium memory alloy and pure titanium rib embracing device are mostly used in rib fixation. Only 33.93% of surgeons chose to remove internal fixator at one year after surgery.Conclusions: Although CWS has been widely performed in China, there are many controversies on the indications, timing, and technical details of CWS. Large-scale clinical trial, high-level literature, uniform standards of surgical indications are critical for the healthy development of CWS.
Surgical Treatment of Snapping Scapula Syndrome Due to Malunion of Rib Fractures
