Efficacy comparison of internal fixation of ribs with complete thoracoscopy and thoracotomy for flail chest / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To compare effect of internal fixation of ribs assisted by complete thoracoscopy and thoracotomy for flail chest.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was used to analyze the clinical data of 86 patients with flail chest treated at No.2 Hospital of Nanping City and 900th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force between January 2019 and December 2020, including 58 males and 28 females; aged 25-69 years [(42.9±9.5)years]. A total of 45 patients underwent internal fixation of ribs assisted by complete thoracoscopy (thoracoscopy group), and 41 patients by thoracotomy (thoracotomy group). The operation time, number of fixed ribs, intraoperative blood loss, ventilation time, postoperative length of hospital stay, hemodynamic indicators [partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2), oxygenation index (PaO 2/FiO 2)] before surgery and at 1 day after surgery, respiratory function [forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV)] at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Results:All patients were followed up for 12-18 months [(14.1±1.9)months]. Thoracoscopy group showed prolonged operation time [(139.5±36.4)minutes vs. (114.8±32.5)minutes], reduced intraoperative blood loss [(124.6±42.4)ml vs. (198.6±62.6)ml] as well as shortened ventilation time [(4.0±1.1)days vs. (6.7±1.6)days] and postoperative length of hospital stay [(14.9±2.4)days vs. (17.9±3.7)days] when compared with thoracotomy group (all P<0.01). There was no statistical significance in the number of fixed ribs between the two groups ( P>0.05). There were no statistical differences in PaO 2, PaCO 2 or PaO 2/FiO 2 between the two groups before surgery (all P>0.05). At day 1 after surgery, the PaO 2 and PaO 2/FiO 2 in thoracoscopy group were (86.2±5.4)mmHg and 321.4±36.1, higher than (80.1±6.2)mmHg and 286.0±29.3 in thoracotomy group (all P<0.01); the PaCO 2 was (37.4±2.4)mmHg in thoracoscopy group, lower than (40.0±3.1)mmHg in thoracotomy group ( P<0.01). At 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months after surgery, the FVC was (75.5±10.9)%, (84.5±10.5)%, (93.1±12.8)% and (102.6±17.5)% in thoracoscopy group, higher than (69.2±9.9)%, (78.3±8.9)%, (86.2±10.4)% and (92.4±14.8)% in thoracotomy group; the FEV1 was (76.9±9.3)%, (88.4±12.9)%, (92.4±13.9)% and (98.5±10.6)% in thoracoscopy group, higher than (72.9±8.5)%, (82.8±11.4)%, (86.4±12.7)% and (93.5±11.9)% in thoracotomy group; the MVV was (78.3±13.4)L/min, (87.5±13.5)L/min, (94.6±14.7)L/min and (100.1±11.9)L/min in thoracoscopy group, higher than (72.5±11.6)L/min, (80.5±12.7)L/min, (86.5±13.5)L/min and (92.8±10.3)L/min in thoracotomy group (all P<0.05). There were no thoracic deformities in the two groups after surgery. There was no statistical significance in incision infection rate between the two groups ( P>0.05). The incidence rate of pulmonary infection, atelectasis and pleural effusion was 11.1% (5/45), 6.7% (3/45) and 11.1% (5/45) in thoracoscopy group, lower than 29.3% (12/41), 24.4% (10/41) and 31.7% (13/41) in thoracotomy group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:Although internal fixation of ribs with complete thoracoscopy has longer surgical time than thoracotomy in the treatment of flail chest, it can decrease intraoperative blood loss, ventilation time and length of hospital stay and is more conducive to improving the respiratory function and reducing complication rate.