About Rib Fracture
Key Highlights
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Stabilizes the chest wall to improve breathing and lung function.Provides significant and immediate pain relief compared to conservative management.Prevents long-term complications like chronic pain, chest wall deformity, and non-union (failure of the bone to heal).Reduces the risk of pneumonia by enabling deeper, more effective breathing sooner.Allows for a faster return to normal activities and work in complex fracture cases.
Who is this surgery for?
- Flail chest (three or more adjacent ribs broken in two or more places).
- Severely displaced rib fractures where bone fragments could injure internal organs.
- Fractures causing a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) or hemothorax (blood in the chest cavity) that persists.
- Non-union of a rib fracture, where the bone fails to heal after several months.
- Intractable pain that is not manageable with medications and interferes with breathing.
- Fractures associated with significant chest wall deformity.
How to prepare
- Comprehensive evaluation including chest X-rays and often a CT scan to assess fracture pattern and lung status.
- Review of medical history, current medications, and allergies with the surgical team.
- Pre-operative blood tests and possibly an ECG to ensure fitness for anesthesia.
- Discussion of anesthesia options (typically general anesthesia) and the surgical plan.
- Fasting for 6-8 hours before the scheduled surgery time.
- Arranging for assistance at home and time off work for the recovery period.
Risks & possible complications
- General surgical risks: Reaction to anesthesia, bleeding, infection at the incision site, or blood clots.
- Injury to surrounding structures like the lung, nerves, or blood vessels during surgery.
- Persistent pain, numbness, or irritation around the surgical area or from the hardware.
- Hardware complications such as implant loosening, breakage, or irritation requiring removal.
- Non-union or malunion (bone healing in an incorrect position) of the fracture.
- Development of or worsening of a pneumothorax.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Hospital stay typically lasts 3-5 days for monitoring of lung function and pain management.
- Pain is managed with medications; deep breathing exercises are encouraged to prevent lung infections.
- Patients are advised to avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activity, and contact sports for 6-8 weeks.
- Follow-up appointments include X-rays to monitor bone healing.
- Physical therapy may be recommended to restore strength and range of motion.
- Most normal daily activities can be resumed within a few weeks, but full healing takes 2-3 months.
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Typical hospital stay: 3-5 days
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Expected recovery time: 6-8 weeks for basic activities; 2-3 months for full bone healing
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering rib fracture in India, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for rib fracture in India include Medanta The Medicity, Kamineni Hospital LB Nagar, Miot Hospital Chennai, Nanavati Max Hospital, Kamineni Hospital, King Koti, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform rib fracture. MediFyr helps you compare orthopedists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for rib fracture compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Rib Fracture in India
These partner hospitals in India have dedicated orthopedics teams and experience managing patients undergoing rib fracture.
Had my gallbladder out at MGM....
Had my gallbladder out at MGM. Dr. Vinod was really clear about what to expect after. The first couple days were rough, I won't lie, but his team had a good plan for the pain that actually worked. Follow-up was simple, he just told me to take it easy and call if anything felt off. Felt normal again quicker than I thought.
Orthopedists for Rib Fracture
Explore experienced orthopedists who regularly perform rib fracture and provide pre- and post-operative care in India.
- 10 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road
- 23 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Salem
- 12 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Salem
- 24 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield
- 17 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield
- 16 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield
- 10 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield
- 14 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Whitefield
- 37 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 18 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 51 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 21 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 22 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 31 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 14 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Old Airport Road
- 17 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Patiala
- 11 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Patiala
- 9 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Patiala
- 23 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Mysore
- 20 Years Experience
- Orthopedist
Manipal Hospital Mysore