First Rib Fracture - What To Do When Rib Fracture?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Fracture of the first rib

The fracture of the first rib occurs in the event of a blow, fall, or compression of the chest. By itself, such a fracture is able to heal quite quickly, but complications usually arise with concomitant injury to any of the internal organs, and it is these complications that bring the victims the most trouble. Fractures of the first rib, as well as single fractures of any other ribs, are almost always treated on an outpatient basis.

Depending on the force exerted on the chest, the fracture may be complete or subperiosteal, or cracks appear on the rib. Fractures of the first, second and third ribs refer to minor fractures of the ribs, due to the fact that the damage to internal organs that can occur with such injuries is not fatal. However, a fracture of the first rib can damage the aorta, up to and including rupture.

Content:

• Causes and symptoms of fracture of the first rib
• What to do if the first rib is broken?
• Diagnosis and treatment of a fracture of the first rib
• Recovery after fracture of the first rib

Causes and symptoms of fracture of the first rib

The most common reasons for rib fractures, including a fracture of the first rib, are traffic accidents, sports and various falls. In rare cases, in older people with weakened bone tissue, a violent cough can cause a fracture.

The main symptom that indicates a fracture of the first rib is incredibly severe chest pain, which becomes many times worse with deep breaths and coughs, so the victim's breathing becomes shallow, and this can cause pneumonia.

If a person experiences acute chest pain for 10-20 minutes nonstop, and the pain remains equally strong all the time, you should hurry up and call an ambulance, because this symptom may indicate not only a rib injury, but also a heart attack. Symptoms of a rib fracture can also include the formation of a bruise at the site of injury, and in case of severe bleeding, the victim often begins to cough up blood.

What to do if the first rib is broken?

Providing emergency care for a fracture of the first rib, attention should be focused on how to accurately and quickly apply a fixing bandage on the victim's chest. Since the main goal of the first aid provided for a bone fracture is its absolute immobility, the application of an elastic bandage on the chest will not only help fix the injured rib, but will also significantly ease the respiratory process and reduce pain. In the absence of elastic bandages, the bandage can be made from any available fabric.

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It is not recommended to talk to the victim for a long time, as this will cause him severe pain. It is also necessary to ensure that the patient is in a "sitting" position during first aid, before the arrival of doctors and during transportation to a hospital, which will significantly reduce the risk of additional injuries to internal organs. An uncomplicated first rib fracture will most likely not require hospitalization.

At the time of providing first aid to the victim, you should not only apply a bandage, but also apply something cold to the damaged area, you can also give the person anesthetic, for example, ibuprofen. It is necessary to call an ambulance or personally deliver the patient to the emergency room in any case, firstly, for the purpose of making an accurate diagnosis, and secondly, to make sure that there are no complications and injuries of internal organs.

Diagnosis and treatment of a fracture of the first rib

X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography are used in modern diagnostics of rib fractures. To begin with, a picture is taken using a conventional X-ray; for obvious and simple rib fractures, this may be enough. If X-ray does not allow to identify or determine the degree and location of damage, MRI and CT should be used, which will allow to accurately establish the nature of damage not only to the ribs, but also to blood vessels and soft tissues.

In the process of treating the average fracture of the first rib, pressure bandages are not always applied. In some cases, this can cause unwanted additional complications such as pneumonia and pleurisy. If it is necessary to keep the fracture site immobilized, modern doctors apply an elastic bandage, the main purpose of which is to remind the patient to breathe “from the stomach”.

Upon admission to the trauma center, after a medical worker has diagnosed a rib fracture, a one-time novocaine blockade of the fracture site is performed, which is most often the end of treatment if the victim is in good physical condition and does not have any side injuries. Next, a suitable symptomatic therapy is carried out, that is, treatment aimed at quickly getting rid of unpleasant symptoms. In this case, the measures are aimed at effective pain relief.

Recovery after fracture of the first rib

One of the main components of successful treatment and quick recovery from a fracture of the first rib is peace and avoidance of any physical activity. Also, the victim should be in bed in a sitting position, which will speed up the process of bone fusion. Special physiotherapeutic procedures, expectorant drugs, therapeutic breathing exercises are prescribed, the purpose of which is to prevent congestion in the internal organs of the chest. With such a fracture without complications, the process of treatment and rehabilitation usually takes no more than 30 days in total.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.