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flail chest

Several ribs broken in 2 places can result in an independent & unstable segment of the chest wall, giving rise to flail chest. Flail chest shows paradoxical motion on respiration. During inspiration, when the whole chest expands, the involved segment of the lung moves in, & during expiration, when the chest contracts the involved segment moves out.

General

sign/symptom

References

  1. Introduction to Clinical Imaging, Radiology Syllabus, UCSF, 1993