Abstract
There are no absolute indications for operative repair of a flail chest (FC) injury. Results from three recent randomized controlled trials, a meta-analysis, as well as observational and retrospective studies have been reviewed to determine the most appropriate indications for surgical fixation, as well as the accepted contraindications to operative repair, but many of these conclusions are based on low-quality data and expert opinion. Features that would influence the appropriateness of operative repair include location of the flail segment, degree of respiratory compromise, associated injuries, and the patient’s recovery trajectory.
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Farquhar, J., Hameed, S.M. (2015). Indications for Operative Management of Flail Chest Injuries. In: McKee, M., Schemitsch, E. (eds) Injuries to the Chest Wall. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18624-5_7
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