Rib fractures are common in trauma patients, often leading to complications such as pneumonia and prolonged hospitalization. Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures (SSRF) has become increasingly prevalent in treating severe cases. However, traditional approaches, like posterolateral thoracotomy, are invasive and cause significant muscle damage. Recently, muscle-sparing minimally invasive techniques have been introduced, yet they still require advanced reduction and fixation techniques to avoid complications. This study presents an “ultra” minimally invasive SSRF (uMI-SSRF) technique designed to minimize surgical wounds and soft tissue damage while maintaining the benefits of rib fixation. This study involved 76 patients with multiple rib fractures treated using the uMI-SSRF technique between August 2021 and December 2023. Preoperative chest tomography with 3D reconstruction was used for surgical planning. The technique employed small incisions (3–5 cm), muscle-sparing approaches, and advanced fixation techniques. Data on patient demographics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected. The mean patient age was 58 years, with 66% being male. On average, patients had 6.4 fractured ribs, and 3.5 ribs with 3.88 plates were fixed per surgery, achieving a fixation/fracture ratio of 59%. The average wound length was 4.2 cm, with a mean operation time of 122 min. Most patients required only one incision (74%). The median hospital length of stay was 7 days, with a pneumonia rate of 5%. No wound infections or implant-related complications were observed. The uMI-SSRF technique effectively reduces wound size and soft tissue damage in rib fracture stabilization while maintaining high fixation quality. This method shows promise for improving patient outcomes, reducing recovery time, and minimizing complications. Further studies with larger sample sizes and comparisons with other methods are warranted to verify the advantages of uMI-SSRF.

中文翻译：

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肋骨骨折的超微创手术稳定 （uMI-SSRF）：缩小和固定技术以最大限度地减少手术伤口


肋骨骨折在创伤患者中很常见，通常会导致肺炎和长期住院等并发症。肋骨骨折手术稳定 （SSRF） 在治疗严重病例中越来越普遍。然而，传统方法，如后外侧开胸术，是侵入性的，会导致严重的肌肉损伤。最近，已经引入了保留肌肉的微创技术，但它们仍然需要先进的复位和固定技术以避免并发症。本研究提出了一种“超”微创 SSRF （uMI-SSRF） 技术，旨在最大限度地减少手术伤口和软组织损伤，同时保持肋骨固定的好处。本研究涉及 2021 年 8 月至 2023 年 12 月期间使用 uMI-SSRF 技术治疗的 76 例多发性肋骨骨折患者。术前胸部断层扫描和 3D 重建用于手术计划。该技术采用小切口 （3-5 cm）、保留肌肉的方法和先进的固定技术。收集了有关患者人口统计学、术中细节和术后结局的数据。患者平均年龄为 58 岁，其中 66% 为男性。平均患者有 6.4 根肋骨骨折，每次手术固定 3.5 根肋骨，3.88 块钢板，固定/骨折率为 59%。平均伤口长度为 4.2 cm，平均手术时间为 122 min。大多数患者只需要一个切口 （74%）。中位住院时间为 7 d，肺炎发生率为 5%。未观察到伤口感染或植入物相关并发症。uMI-SSRF 技术在保持高固定质量的同时，有效减少肋骨骨折稳定的伤口大小和软组织损伤。 这种方法有望改善患者预后、缩短恢复时间和最大限度地减少并发症。需要进一步研究更大的样本量并与其他方法进行比较，以验证 uMI-SSRF 的优势。