The pediatric patient and thoracic trauma.

Trauma remains the leading cause of death for children aged 1 to 14 years. Thoracic trauma is seen in 4% to 6% of pediatric patients presenting to pediatric trauma centers and rarely occurs in isolation. The medical and surgical evaluation of children is a challenging task to even the most experienced physician.

The effect of opening wedge thoracostomy on thoracic insufficiency syndrome associated with fused ribs and congenital scoliosis.

Background: Thoracic insufficiency syndrome is the inability of the thorax to support normal respiration or lung growth and is seen in patients who have severe congenital scoliosis with fused ribs. Traditional spinal surgery does not directly address this syndrome.

Methods: Twenty-seven patients with congenital scoliosis associated with fused ribs of the concave hemithorax had an opening wedge thoracostomy with primary longitudinal lengthening with use of a chest-wall distractor known as a vertical, expandable prosthetic titanium rib.

The characteristics of thoracic insufficiency syndrome associated with fused ribs and congenital scoliosis.

1. Thoracic insufficiency syndrome is the inability of the thorax to support normal respiration or lung growth. 2.