Chest Wall Trauma: Rib Fractures and Pulmonary Contusions.

There is a high incidence of traumatically injured patients who have rib fractures and/or pulmonary contusions, and these injuries accompany a significant morbidity and mortality rate. By ensuring adequate pain control through multimodal analgesia and other minimally invasive modalities, we can help facilitate early mobilization, incentive spirometer use, coughing, deep breathing, and secretion mobilization, which will in turn prevent hypoxia and hypoventilation. By preventing hypoxia and hypoventilation, we prevent and/or reduce the need to mechanically ventilate our trauma patients with chest wall trauma, which decreases intensive care unit and hospital length of stay and overall health care costs.