A man crushed against a wall by a reversing truck has fractures of ribs 4 to 7 on the left, each rib broken at two sites. He shows inward movement of the left chest wall on inspiration and outward movement on expiration. This condition is called:
- A Flail chest ✓
- B Sucking chest wound
- C Stove-in chest
- D Traumatic pneumothorax
Correct answer: A. Flail chest
Explanation
Flail chest is defined as fracture of two or more adjacent ribs, each at two or more sites, creating a free-floating segment that moves paradoxically: it is drawn inward during inspiration and pushed outward during expiration because intrathoracic pressure falls below atmospheric. The segment moves opposite to the rest of the chest wall. B stove-in chest refers to depression of a portion of the chest cage, and a sucking wound requires an open chest wall defect.
Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.