Flail chest is a serious thoracic injury

📧 EM Note Newsletter https://forms.gle/8boToiKDXVE3V8U19 Signup to get free weekly PDF via email. PS: Please join our membership for more perks (members can request for specific PDF file by posting in the EM Note YouTube Membership section). Homepage: EMNote.org ■ 🚩Membership: https://tinyurl.com/joinemnote 🚩ACLS Lecture: https://tinyurl.com/emnoteacls Flail chest is a serious thoracic injury defined by fractures of three or more consecutive ribs in at least two places, creating a free-floating chest wall segment. This leads to paradoxical chest wall movement during respiration, which impairs effective ventilation. The most significant concern is the associated pulmonary contusion. Management focuses on pain control, pulmonary hygiene, and supportive care, with mechanical ventilation reserved for those with respiratory failure.