PMC9664310_01
Bilateral rib fractures with flail segment, as seen in (A) three-dimensional reconstruction of initial CT and (B) flattened image of the chest wall.
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F1
Clinical exam identified flail chest and flail sternum, right pneumothorax with right pneumomediastinum, and extensive subcutaneous emphysema (see figure 1).
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PMC9664310_05
Postoperative posterior to anterior chest X-ray demonstrating hardware placement.
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F2
They were taken back to the operating room where they underwent open reduction and internal fixation of right ribs 5 and 7 to 9 and left ribs 2 and 3 and sternal fixation as well as cryoneurolysis of right intercostal nerves 4 to 8 (see figure 2).
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CT of the chest demonstrating anterior right chest empyema.
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F3
By hospital day 15, an empyema had developed (see figure 3).
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