Fracture of the first and second rib: incidence of vascular injury relative to type of fracture.

Fractures of the first or second rib may be associated with underlying arterial injury in patients with blunt chest trauma. A total of 58 patients with fracture of the first of second rib was investigated; all patients subsequently underwent arteriography. The type of rib fracture (posterior, lateral), or anterior) was not found to be a useful predictor of underlying vascular injury. Also, the degree of displacement of the fracture fragments was of no value in predicting arterial injury.