Effectiveness of chest orthosis in early treatment of chest trauma / 中国综合临床

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the clinical effect of the chest orthosis on patients with multiple rib or(and) sternal fracture in early period of closed chest trauma.Methods Patients with multiple fractured of ribs or (and) sternal fracture were divided into control group (n =16)treated with the traditional fixation methods ( thoracic girdle added with folding towels) and experimental group ( n =30 ) treated with chest orthosis between January 2009 and December 2011.Correlated parameters of these patients in the two groups,including pain,indexes of blood gas analysis,pulmonary complications and hospitalization time were evaluated.Results There were significant differences on visual analogue scale(VAS) [ (4.45 ±2.23) vs (8.15 ±2.02),t =2.921,P ＜0.01 ],blood gas analysis including PaO2 [ 88.16 ± 9.12) mm Hg vs (77.22 ± 6.24 ) mm Hg,t =2.413,P ＜0.05] andPaCO2[ (40.91 ±3.40)mm Hg vs (46.06 ±5.40)mm Hg,t =2.335,P＜0.05] between experimental group and control group.The incidence rate of pulmonary complications in experimental group was significantly lower than that in control group [ 17％ ( 5/30 ) vs 44％ ( 7/16 ),x2 =23.478,P ＜ 0.05 ].And hospitalization time in experimental group was significantly shorter compared with control group[ (7.26 ± 4.17) d vs ( 14.26 ±3.53)d,t =2.430,P ＜0.05].Conclusion The chest orthosis in early treatment of chest trauma can reduce the pain and improve the condition of patients,and it is a simple,effective and cheap method with significant clinical effect.