Chest Wall Repair of Rib Fractures After Trauma

March 21, 2011 updated by: Vanderbilt University

Chest Wall Stabilization for Traumatic Chest Wall Injuries: An Observational Study

This is a prospective, observational trial of 50 patients who have multiple, severe rib fractures following trauma. The investigators will follow their hospital stay for outcomes (infections, length of stay and medical care) as well as their early post-hospital course.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Hypothesis:

Rib fracture repair utilizing open reduction and internal fixation with commercially available rib plating systems improves outcomes (i.e., infectious complications), decreases hospital stay and mortality.

Study Design:

This is a prospective, observational study of 50 patients who, due to their injury pattern, are operative candidates for open reduction and internal fixation with commercial available rib plating systems for one of the following indications:

  1. Flail chest with/without failure to wean from the ventilator
  2. Significantly displaced rib fractures with/without lung impalement
  3. Symptomatic multiple rib fractures - Failure of pain control

Outcome measures to be evaluated include:

  1. Hospital Mortality
  2. Ventilator free days
  3. Need for tracheotomy
  4. Infectious Complications (pneumonia, bacteremia, UTI, empyema)
  5. Hospital & ICU Days
  6. Disposition following discharge

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Anticipated)

50

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37232
        • Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Vanderbilt University Trauma Center.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects must be at least >18 years of age
  • Subjects must have one of the following clinical indications:
  • >3 rib flail segments with paradoxical chest wall movement
  • Non-repair of defect may result in pulmonary hernia
  • Minimal associated injuries
  • Severely displaced fractures are significantly impeding lung expansion.
  • Failure of narcotics or epidural pain catheter to control pain

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Significant pulmonary contusion
  • Significant brain injury (AIS 4 and/or ICP monitoring)
  • Severe associated injuries which, in the opinion of the surgeon will preclude operative chest wall stabilization
  • Subjects not expected to survive the 90-day follow-up period
  • Known pregnancy
  • Prisoners

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
traumatic rib fractures
Other: No intervention
No intervention; observation only

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
pain scales
Time Frame: daily
daily
ventilator requirement
Time Frame: daily
daily
hospital days
Time Frame: discharge
discharge

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Vanderbilt University

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jose J Diaz, MD, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2009

Primary Completion (Actual)

August 1, 2010

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2010

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 22, 2009

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 23, 2009

First Posted (Estimate)

June 24, 2009

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

March 22, 2011

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 21, 2011

Last Verified

March 1, 2011

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • Acute chest wall injuries

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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