Direct or indirect violence can cause broken ribs. Direct violence cause fractures on location of direct impact. Sharp broken ribs can move inward and pierce the intercostal blood vessels, pleura, lung tissue or upper abdominal organs, causing hemothorax, pneumothorax, hemopneumothorax, subcutaneous emphysema or coughing up blood. Indirect violence (chest is squeezed) causes fractures beyond the location of direct contact. The broken ribs move outward, damaging the soft tissue on the chest wall, resulting in chest wall hematoma. The principle of treating simple rib fracture is pain relieving, fixation and preventing lung infection. Severe rib fracture cases need surgery.
How is Broken ribs treated in practice?