A condition of the chest wall following an injury characterized by a free segment that moves paradoxically when the person breathes is caused by fractures of several ribs in two or more places each.
A condition in which the chest is not stable, because several ribs have been broken.
Condition where three or more consecutive ribs have fractured in close proximity; this creates instability of the wall of the thorax, moving opposite to the normal direction during respiratory movements.
A chest wound involving three or more ribs broken in two or more places, thus destabilizing a segment of the chest wall. Flail chest, which usually occurs after a severe crushing chest injury, is characterized by motion that is the reverse of normal—the loose chest segment moves inward when the person breathes in, outward when he or she breathes out; thus, the chest is not moving air effectively. Other symptoms include shortness of breath, extreme pain, and bluish skin. Flail chest is a medical emergency requiring immediate attention.
A condition of the chest wall due to two or more fractures on each affected rib resulting in a segment of rib not attached on either end; the flail segment moves paradoxically in with inspiration and out during expiration.
Flail chest is a chest injury commonly caused by traffic accidents or acts of violence. In this condition, multiple adjacent ribs are broken in more than one place, leading to a segment of the chest wall that moves in the opposite direction to normal breathing. When the victim inhales and the rib cage expands, the flail segment moves inwards, and during exhalation, it moves outwards.
This injury can significantly hinder the effectiveness of breathing and may result in respiratory failure and shock. It causes considerable pain during breathing and coughing, increasing the susceptibility to chest infections and potential lung collapse.
In case of an emergency, the initial treatment involves positioning the person onto the affected side or securely strapping the flail segment. In severe instances, artificial ventilation becomes necessary until the chest wall stabilizes and the broken ribs have healed.