Comparison of the therapeutic effect between anatomical plates and claw-type bone plates in fixation of multiple rib fractures

Objective To compare the therapeutic effect of claw-type bone plates and anatomical plates in fixation of traumatic multiple rib fractures. Methods Clinical data of 70 patients with traumatic multiple rib fractures between January 2016 and November 2017 was analyzed retrospectively. Based on the treatments, patients were assigned to two groups: the claw-type bone plates fixation group (n=33) and anatomical plates fixation group (n =37). The variables including operation time, intraoperative blooding, postoperative thoracic hemorrhage rate, wound drainage, plate loosening and breakage, postoperative chest pain were compared. Data were analyzed using SPSS17.0 statistical software. Student’s t test and rank sum test were used to compare the measurement data, and χ2test was used to compare the counting data. Results The operation time after the full exposure of fractures were recorded. Operation time for each fracture [(11.04±1.81) min vs (12.30±0.47) min], intraoperative bleeding [(120.76±7.19) mL vs (110.00±7.45) mL] and wound drainage [(114.06±7.24) mL vs (107.98±7.23) mL] in the claw-type rib bone plates fixation group were statistically significant different compared with the anatomical plates fixation group (P<0.05).There were 1case of screw abscission in the anatomical plates fixation group (suffering from osteoporosis) and 2 cases in the claw-type bone plates fixation group (without osteoporosis and other complications).Two cases suffered from chest pain and 2 cases suffered from massive hemorrhage in the chest in the claw-type bone plates fixation group, with secondary operation removing internal fixations. Conclusions The two kinds of internal fixation have their own advantages and disadvantages. The claw-type bone plates fixation is cheaper, easier to shape and has shorter operation time, which is especially suitable for comminuted fracture. Although the anatomical plates fixation is more expensive than claw-type bone plates fixation, the anatomical plates fixation on multiple fractured ribs has less postoperative blood loss, lower postoperative thoracic hemorrhage rate, plate loosening, chest pain, which significantly reduces second operation and possesses a higher clinical application value. Key words: Rib fractures; Claw-type bone plates; Anatomical plates; Fixation