Prospective Follow up of Minimally Invasive Chest Wall Surgery After Trauma

Sahlgrenska University Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Rib; Fracture, Multiple, With Flail Chest

Treatments: Procedure: Large incision surgical fixation of unstable rib cage.; Procedure: Minimally invasive surgical fixation of unstable rib cage

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04710602

FoU-274457

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to assess the outcome of a muscle sparing, minimally invasive open surgical technique for unstable ribcage injuries after trauma. The investigators will compare the results from the study participants to a historical cohort who were operated with a different surgical technique with large incisions and simultaneous thoracotomy.

Full description

This is a prospective follow-up study where the investigators aim to study patients who have undergone surgery with a muscle sparing, minimally invasive technique for unstable ribcage after trauma. The investigators plan on seeing the participants as out patients 6 months and 1 year after surgery. The results will be compared to results from a historical cohort with patients who participated in earlier studies with a different surgical method with large incisions and simultaneous thoracotomy. The investigators plan on including 50 patients since a preliminary analysis has suggested this should be enough to notice statistically significant differences between the groups.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with chest wall trauma who underwent surgical stabilisation for unstable chest wall using a minimally invasive, muscle sparing technique without thoracotomy or thoracoscopy no more than 6 months prior to inclusion.

Exclusion criteria

• Severe head injury (Abbreviated Injury score (AIS) >3)
• Spinal injury
• Neurological or musculoskeletal disease affecting chest wall mobility

Trial design

100 participants in 2 patient groups

Minimally invasive

Description:

Patients who underwent surgery with a muscle sparing, minimally invasive technique for unstable chest wall after trauma.

Treatment:

Procedure: Minimally invasive surgical fixation of unstable rib cage

Historical control

Description:

Patients who underwent surgery with large incisions and simultaneous thoracotomy for unstable chest wall after trauma.

Treatment:

Procedure: Large incision surgical fixation of unstable rib cage.