[Late sequelae of rib fractures].

For an assessment of the late lesions after rib fractures 108 patients having had an accident between 1968 and 1973 were followed up. As to the individual signs observed, the patients were very heterogeneous. Radiodiagnostic, spirometric and scintigraphic data were compiled in order to characterize the late morphologic and functional lesions. By means of correlation and discrimination analyses as well as tests of significance we found that the extension of the late lesions depends either on the age of the patient nor on the number of fractured ribs but, instead, on concomitant intrathoracic lesions. The late morphologic lesions such as deformedly healed rib fractures and pleural thickening were the substrate for the ventilative and circulatory disturbances of the lung.