Loading...
Rib fractures are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in elderly patients, with some studies estimating a 19% increase in mortality with each rib fracture. Given the poor sensitivity of radiographs for many traumatic injuries, including rib fractures, providers increasingly turn to computed tomography (CT). These authors addressed whether improved detection of radiographically occult rib fractures may confer benefit to elderly patients.
This chart review included 330 patients aged ≥65 years who presented to a Level I trauma center after a mechanical fall and received both a chest radiograph and chest CT scan. Patients averaged 84 years old, most were admitted to the hospital, and 29% were found to have rib fractures on CT. Comp…