Rib fractures are the most common chest injuries . Older people are particularly affected. Their ribs have less elasticity and do not tolerate deformations as well as in younger ones. Rib fractures are of the following types:
- cracks;
- subperiosteal;
- complete.
The lightest are cracks.
Injury mechanisms
As a rule, people break the 5-8th ribs. Less often - 11 and 12th. This is due to the different mobility of the distal ends. With direct injuries caused by small angular solid objects, a limited area of the costal arch breaks. Typically, a fracture occurs directly at the site of exposure to a traumatic force. First, the inner surface of the rib breaks, and then the outer.
If a significant force acts on more extensive sections of the arc, then they break out and press inward. Such fractures are called double or fenestrated. As a rule, these injuries are accompanied by ruptures of the pleura, muscles, and vessels. If mechanical force acts on a large area, then a movable zone is formed in the chest, which is called the "rib valve". A complete fracture of the ribs usually provokes the displacement of bone fragments. When you exhale, they go down, and when you inhale - straightening. With such injuries, pleural and lung ruptures with pneumothorax, hemothorax, subcutaneous emphysema, and hemoptysis often occur. It should be understood that a severe
fracture of the ribs may well be fatal
. Treatment at home is possible only for not too serious injuries (if the doctor allows). For example, cracks or fractures of not more than 1-2 ribs.
Symptoms and diagnosis
Fractures of the ribs are characterized by sharp pain at the site of injury. It becomes stronger with deep breaths and coughing. Patients try to breathe superficially, but often. They are forced to occupy an optimal position, which provides maximum rest to the damaged area. With such injuries, a symptom of an interrupted inspiration appears. A person tries to inhale very slowly, but deeply, but after the appearance of a sudden sharp pain stops the process. On palpation, local pain, and sometimes crepitus, is noted. However, the latter is not observed at the sites of fractures of the cartilage sections of the ribs. With multiple fractures, cardio-respiratory disorders are often noted, as well as symptoms of damage to internal organs. This can lead to respiratory failure. As a rule, during an external examination, there are:
- tachypnea;
- pallor of the skin;
- persistent tachycardia;
- retraction of the chest (fragments);
- cyanosis;
- when breathing, asymmetric movements of the chest wall.
The severity of the patient's condition depends on the location of the injury and the number of broken ribs.
First aid
The primary measure is anesthesia. For this, it is not necessary to give the patient analgesics or block the damaged area with them. Sometimes it’s enough just to give the human body a comfortable position. Then you need to fix the chest as soon as possible. Because any careless movement not only causes pain, but also increases the likelihood of increased bleeding from damaged tissues. To stabilize bone fragments of the chest, a circular fixation bandage is applied for fracture of the ribs. It can be made from bandage or improvised materials. On probable places where fractures of the ribs occurred, cotton-gauze pads should be put.