Abstract

ABSTRACTThe treatment of flail chest injury should now be individualized to the need of the particular patient. Three forms of therapy should be considered before using the standard treatment of intubation and continuous positive pressure ventilation. The newer approaches in the treatment of flail chest are expectant therapy, intermittent mandatory ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure, or early surgical fixation of the chest wall. The factors that guide the management of a flail chest injury are the degree of disruption of the chest cage, the amoum of pulmonary contusion, and the degree of pulmonary dysfunction.