<qa>  What is the process for consenting to receive thoracic epidural?Prospective patients admitted to SFGH suffering blunt thoracic injury rib fractures, sternal fractures requiring IV opioids for pain relief who do not fit exclusion criteria will be enrolled. Patients will be asked to give informed signed consent for the study doctor to place a thoracic epidural within 48 hours of injury and continued for a maximum of 5 days. The consent process will be twofold. For those who have consented to receive thoracic epidural and agreed to have their health information HIPAA form used for the study no additional permission will be required. However, for those patients who do not wish to receive epidural, consent will still be sought if their health information can be used to analyze that arm of the study that did not receive thoracic epidural. 