Comparison of demographic and injury characteristics in patients with multiple rib fractures based on use of ON-Q catheter for continuous intercostal nerve blockade
| ON-Q catheter (CATH) (n=48) | No ON-Q catheter (STD) (n=96) | P value | |
| Demographics | |||
| Mean age (years) | 56.8±18.30 | 56.4±18.72 | 0.91 |
| Gender (%) | |||
| Male | 31 (64.6) | 69 (71.9) | 0.37 |
| Female | 17 (35.4) | 27 (28.1) | |
| Mechanism of injury (%) | |||
| Blunt | 46 (95.8) | 93 (96.9) | 0.75 |
| Penetrating | 2 (4.2) | 3 (3.1) | |
| Injury characteristics | |||
| Injury Severity Score | 24.9±9.81 | 24.7±9.73 | 0.93 |
| Abbreviated Injury Scale score area | |||
| Head | 1.2±1.34 | 1.8±1.61 | 0.02 |
| Head >3 (%) | 4 (8.3) | 16 (16.7) | 0.14 |
| Neck | 2.9±0.88 | 2.8±0.83 | 0.72 |
| Thorax | 1.5±1.73 | 1.6±1.76 | 0.62 |
| Abdomen | 1.5±1.11 | 1.4±1.33 | 0.82 |
| Number of rib fractures | 9.3±3.73 | 6.60±4.11 | 0.001 |
| Anterior | 3.6±4.42 | 2.9±3.95 | 0.32 |
| Lateral | 3.2±4.16 | 1.3±2.20 | 0.004 |
| Posterior | 3.9±3.44 | 2.9±3.44 | 0.06 |
| Six or more rib fractures (%) | 39 (81.3) | 44 (48.9) | <0.001 |
| Number of flail segments | 2.0±2.94 | 0.8±1.76 | 0.02 |
| Three or more flail segments (%) | 15 (31.3) | 16 (19.8) | 0.14 |
| Bilateral rib fractures (%) | 15 (31.3) | 46 (47.9) | 0.06 |
| Tube thoracostomy (%) | 34 (70.8) | 37 (38.5) | <0.001 |
| Thoracotomy (%) | 3 (6.3) | 5 (5.2) | 0.80 |
| Video Assisted Thorascopic Surgery (VATS) (%) | 2 (4.2) | 5 (5.2) | 0.78 |
| Rib fixation (%) | 10 (20.8) | 3 (3.1) | <0.001 |
| Laparotomy (%) | 5 (10.4) | 15 (15.6) | 0.39 |
Results shown as mean±SD unless otherwise noted.
Estimates from Pearson’s χ2 and independent t-test for categorical and continuous variables, respectively.
CATH, patients with multiple rib fractures managed with continuous intercostal nerve blockade; STD, patients with multiple rib fractures managed without continuous intercostal nerve blockade.