What is flail chest?

What is flail chest?

• A. A fracture of multiple ribs causing chest wall deformity with paradoxical movement
• B. A fracture pattern with single rib fracture
• C. A collapsed lung due to air in the pleural space
• D. Inflammation of the pleura

Answer: (C)

Flail chest occurs when multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in more than one place, creating a free segment of the chest wall. This segment moves paradoxically—inside during inspiration and out during expiration—while the rest of the chest expands and contracts. That instability worsens ventilation and is often accompanied by underlying lung contusion, leading to impaired gas exchange. Management centers on supporting breathing and oxygenation, addressing any pneumothorax, and using positive-pressure ventilation when needed to stabilize the chest from within. The other options describe different problems: a single rib fracture, a collapsed lung from air in the pleural space, or inflammation of the pleura.

Flail chest occurs when multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in more than one place, creating a free segment of the chest wall. This segment moves paradoxically—inside during inspiration and out during expiration—while the rest of the chest expands and contracts. That instability worsens ventilation and is often accompanied by underlying lung contusion, leading to impaired gas exchange. Management centers on supporting breathing and oxygenation, addressing any pneumothorax, and using positive-pressure ventilation when needed to stabilize the chest from within. The other options describe different problems: a single rib fracture, a collapsed lung from air in the pleural space, or inflammation of the pleura.