What to do if you have a chest fracture

Hand fractures and leg fractures are relatively common, but many people do not know about chest fractures. This type of fracture is very harmful to the body. This type of fracture is caused by trauma, such as car accidents, which can easily cause chest fractures. So what should we do about chest fractures? The treatment method is mainly based on drugs, which can quickly relieve the patient's pain and treat the patient's condition at the same time, and the effect is very good.

Drug treatment

Treatment principles

To relieve pain, take painkillers, use 1% procaine to block the intercostal nerves, or seal the fracture site.

Local fixation and immobilization: (1) For closed single rib fractures, a multi-head chest strap, elastic chest strap or semi-ring wide tape can be used for overlapping fixation. (2) For closed multiple rib fractures, sandbags or gauze pads with elastic wrapping can be used to stabilize the floating chest wall or the patient can be asked to lie on the injured side.

Maintain respiratory function, give oxygen if necessary, and encourage the patient to cough up sputum or sigh (blow) or take deep breaths regularly. If blood gas analysis shows insufficiency of ventilation and/or hypoxia, a ventilator should be used to assist breathing.

Prevent and treat shock.

Debridement should be carried out according to the principles of debridement. The debridement time for open rib fractures can be extended to 24-48 hours, depending on the degree of wound contamination.

Prevention of infection: (1) Use antibiotics. (2) To prevent tetanus, tetanus antitoxin serum is routinely used for open rib fractures.

Provide symptomatic and supportive treatment.

Treat associated injuries.

Medication principles

Closed single rib fractures can be treated with oral or intramuscular analgesics. For those who cannot tolerate severe pain, 1% procaine solution can be used to block the intercostal nerves or close the fracture.

For patients with closed multiple rib fractures, open rib fractures, or complications (other injuries), or the elderly and frail, such as those with traumatic shock or cardiopulmonary insufficiency, anti-shock drugs and cardiotonic and diuretic drugs should be used, and antibiotics should be used to prevent infection. If there is hemorrhagic shock, blood transfusion and fluid infusion are required, and thoracotomy or appropriate treatment may be performed if necessary.

Patients with rib fractures should be given appropriate antibiotics to prevent lung infection and spray inhalation to facilitate expectoration. If the infection cannot be controlled by basic antibiotics, effective antibiotics or new special drugs can be selected to fight the infection based on bacterial culture and drug sensitivity tests.