What are the signs of a flail chest?

A flail chest occurs when multiple adjacent ribs are fractured in more than one place, leading to a segment of the rib cage that moves independently from the rest of the chest wall. This condition often results in significant respiratory distress and characteristic movement patterns.

Shortness of breath is a common sign of flail chest because the injury typically compromises the patient's ability to take full, effective breaths, causing difficulty in ventilating adequately. In addition, paradoxical movement refers to the abnormal motion of the injured segment during breathing: when the patient inhales, the flail segment collapses inward instead of expanding outward, and during exhalation, it bulges outward. This movement is directly linked to the severity of the injury.

The combination of shortness of breath and possible paradoxical movement represents the classic clinical picture of flail chest. Identifying both these signs allows for timely intervention and management of the injury, highlighting the importance of recognizing them in emergency situations.