Isolated rib fractures in geriatric patients

Isolated rib fractures in geriatric patients

Elsayed M. Elmistekawy and Abd Almohsen M. Hammad

Ann Thorac Med. 2007 Oct-Dec; 2(4): 166–168.

doi: 10.4103/1817-1737.36552

PMCID: PMC2732099

INTRODUCTION

The goal of this study was to investigate the short-term outcomes in patients older than 60 years with isolated rib fractures and admitted to emergency hospital.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study included patients who were 60 years old or more and sustained blunt chest injury and had isolated rib fractures. The following data were obtained from the medical records: age, gender, number of fracture ribs, side of fracture ribs, mechanism and nature of injury, preexisting medical conditions, complications, admission to intensive care unit (ICU), need for mechanical ventilation, length of ICU and hospital stay and mortality.

RESULTS

For the study, 39 patients who were 60 years old or more and admitted to the hospital because of isolated rib fractures were enrolled. There were 28 males (71.7%) and 11 females (28.3%) with mean age of (66.84 ± 4.7) years. No correlation was found between comorbidities and hospital outcomes except in those who were diabetic (P-value = 0.005) and those with chronic lung disease (P-value = 0.006). Pulmonary complications were the most frequent complications encountered in those patients. Pulmonary complications were: lung contusion in 8 patients (20.5%) and pulmonary infection in 6 patients (15.8%).

CONCLUSION

Elderly patients sustaining blunt chest trauma had significant morbidity and potential for mortality.

Keywords

Blunt chest trauma, elderly, rib fractures