Fracture in number of ribs independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism, finds study

Results: The overall incidence of Venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with traumatic rib fractures was 8.1%. Patients with isolated traumatic rib fractures had a significantly lower incidence of Venous thromboembolism (4.4%) compared to patients with rib fractures combined with other injuries (12.0%). Multivariate analysis identified the number of rib fractures as an independent risk factor for thrombosis. Surgical stabilization of isolated rib fractures involving three or more ribs was associated with a lower Venous thromboembolism incidence compared to conservative treatment. Patients with rib fractures have a higher incidence of Venous thromboembolism, positively correlated with the number of rib fractures. However, the occurrence of thrombosis is relatively low in isolated rib fractures. Targeted thromboprophylaxis strategies should be implemented for these patients, and surgical stabilization of rib fractures may be beneficial in reducing the risk of Venous thromboembolism.

Reference:

Zhang, D., Yang, Y., Yi, Y. et al. Incidence and influence factors of venous thromboembolism in traumatic rib fracture patient: a multicenter study. J Orthop Surg Res 19, 152 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13018-024-04622-1