From: Management of patients with flail chest by surgical fixation using claw-type titanium plate
 | Surgical fixation group (n = 23) | Conservative treatment group (n = 29) | P-value |
---|---|---|---|
Gender (male/female) | 21/8 | 16/7 | >0.5 |
Age (years) | 57.8 ± 12.0 | 59.5 ± 9.9 | >0.10 |
Mean number of rib fracture (n) | 7.8 ± 1.5 | 7.4 ± 1.7 | >0.10 |
Grade of lung contusion | 1.24 | 1.21 | >0.5 |
Type of flail segment | Â | Â | Â |
 Anterolateral flail segment (n) | 7 | 10 |  |
 Posterolateral flail segment(n) | 16 | 19 |  |
Causes | Â | Â | Â |
 car accident | 17 | 21 | 1.000 |
 Fall injury | 4 | 5 | |
 crush injury | 2 | 2 | |
 Blow injury | 0 | 1 | |
Type of rib fracture | Â | Â | Â |
 bilateral | 2 | 3 | 1.000 |
 Unilateral | 21 | 26 | |
Combined injury | Â | Â | Â |
 Spleen rupture | 1 | 2 | 1.000 |
 subarachnoid hemorrhage | 1 | 0 | 0.442 |
 Pneumothorax | 12 | 16 | 0.829 |
 Pulmonary laceration | 3 | 0 | 0.160 |
 Sternal fracture | 1 | 0 | 0.442 |
 Limb fracture | 9 | 6 | 0.145 |
 Pelvic fracture | 3 | 5 | 0.976 |
 Clavicle fracture | 7 | 8 | 0.822 |
 Myocardial injury | 2 | 0 | 0.191 |
 Mediastinal emphysema | 1 | 2 | 1.000 |
 Shock | 2 | 3 | 1.000 |
 Tracheal rupture | 0 | 1 | 1.000 |