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Literature review identifies clinical trends toward internal fixation for multiple rib fractures and flail chest, highlighting persistent conservatism in external stabilization techniques.
The authors analyze 37 publications by Russian authors devoted to diagnosis and treatment of multiple rib fractures and flail chest in 2020–2025. Classification of reports by type, profile, content, chronology and geography is presented. The main thematic areas described in publications are identified: instrumental diagnosis and objective assessment, anesthesiology and intensive care, surgical tactics and methodology, indications and urgency of surgery, technology, organization of care. Despite the trends towards internal fixation, it is possible to note a certain restraint and conservatism in technologies of external fixation. Of course, thoracic surgeons dealing with blunt chest trauma should have all modern ways to fix rib fractures and stabilize the chest. Solution to these issues lies in consolidation of clinical, technical, and organizational solutions taking into account stages and continuity in all periods of acute trauma and post-traumatic complications.
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Pushkin et al. (2026) studied this question.
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