Podcast 639: Rib Fractures in the Elderly

<p><strong>Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD</strong></p> <p><strong>Educational Pearls:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Retrospective review of 5,021 patients over 65 with 2 or more  rib fractures recently published</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">3577 (78 %) were admitted to non-ICU setting</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">1.1% of these patients had unexpected intubation or ICU transfer</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Findings raise questions regarding current guidelines for ICU admission in elderly patients with isolated rib fractures</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Naar L, El Hechi MW, van Erp IA, Mashbari HNA, Fawley J, Parks JJ, Fagenholz PJ, King DR, Mendoza AE, Velmahos GC, Kaafarani HMA, Saillant NN. Isolated rib cage fractures in the elderly: Do all patients belong to the intensive care unit? A retrospective nationwide analysis. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2020 Dec;89(6):1039-1045. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000002891. PMID: 32697447.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Summarized by John Spartz, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD</span></em></p> <p><br /> <br /></p>