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Case Reports
. 2025 May 18;17(5):e84352.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.84352. eCollection 2025 May.

Evolving Rib Re-fractures in a Patient With Metal Fixators Post a Road Traffic Accident: An Unusual Hardware-Related Complication

Andrés David De León Murillo  1 , Juan Carlos Varon Cotes  2 , Fedor Andrés Spadafora Alarcón  2 , Alejandro Alfondo Bedoya Rinaldi  1 , Silvia Fernanda Anaya Meza  3 , David Raúl Cerra Ortegón  1 , Pedro Antonio Plaza Ricardo  1 , Tatiana Paola Pérez García  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Evolving Rib Re-fractures in a Patient With Metal Fixators Post a Road Traffic Accident: An Unusual Hardware-Related Complication

Andrés David De León Murillo et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

A rib fracture is an entity that frequently occurs after thoracic trauma. Among post-surgical complications, a rib re-fracture is a rare complication that occurs in up to 0.1% of cases. We present the case of a 52-year-old woman who was admitted to the emergency room for polytrauma and who received surgical treatment for rib fractures. One month after discharge, she was readmitted for pain, and displacement of fixed rib fractures was found, requiring further surgical intervention. Finally, the patient was discharged due to adequate clinical evolution.

Keywords: complication; rib fixation; rib fractures; thorax surgery; trauma.

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Conflict of interest statement

Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Chest computed tomography with 3D reconstruction showing evidence of displaced rib fractures from the second to the ninth rib of the left hemithorax in the postero-anterior view
Figure 2
Figure 2. Incision marking done in the prone position
Figure 3
Figure 3. A: Exposure of rib fractures in the left hemithorax; B: Positioned rib fixation devices
Figure 4
Figure 4. A: Chest radiograph showing evidence of displaced rib fixation devices; B: Chest computed tomography with 3D reconstruction demonstrating in greater detail the displacement of the rib fixation devices
Figure 5
Figure 5. A: Displaced rib plates, with evidence of new rib fractures at both ends of the plates; B: New rib plates used for the fixation of the fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth ribs
Figure 6
Figure 6. Chest computed tomography with 3D reconstruction showing evidence of properly inserted rib plates
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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