Values of embracing fixator for damage-control surgery in the management of traumatic flail chest

Objective To investigate the values of embracing fixator for damage-control surgery in the management of traumatic flail chest. Methods Sixty patients with traumatic flail chest were enrolled in this prospectively study.According to the principle of completely random digital table,all patients were randomly signed into experiment group(n=30) or control group(n=30).Damage control surgery with embracing fixator was adopted in experiment group,while fixed rib fixation was adopted in the control group.The primary outcomes were clinical interventions,major complications and clinical outcomes. Results When compared with the control group,patients in the experiment group got a significantly shorter analgesic drug use time[(2.41±1.43) d vs. (4.21±2.61) d,P=0.012];a significantly shorter antibiotic use duration[(3.24±2.93) d vs. (6.32±2.43) d,P=0.008)];a significantly shorter mechanical ventilation duration[(2.82±0.79) d vs. (5.21±1.33) d,P=0.028];a significantly lower rate of pulmonary atelectasis(3.33% vs. 23.33%,P=0.023);and a significantly shorter hospital duration[(18.32±7.43) d vs. (26.43±11.93) d,P=0.002].There was no difference between the two groups in mechanical ventilation,closed drainage of thoracic cavity,closed drainage of thoracic cavity duration,lung infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome(P>0.05).None patients died during the study period. Conclusion The embracing fixator for damage control surgery in the management of traumatic flail chest improves the clinical outcomes and hospital duration.