Intrathoracic or Extrathoracic Fixation of Rib Fractures

Surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) has been proven beneficial in flail chest wall injuries and may improve outcomes in those with non-flail rib fractures. Most current research focuses on indications and outcomes. Despite the increase in its popularity over the last 20 years, there remains a lack of data evaluating SSRF systems. Recently, intrathoracic SSRF has offered surgeons a novel way to address rib fractures while simultaneously inspecting and treating the thoracic cavity with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. A comparison of outcomes with intrathoracic versus extrathoracic SSRF remains under investigation.