Predictors of opioid use for rib fractures in a regional Australian hospital

Rib fractures (RFs) are the leading type of serious injury in New South Wales (NSW), present in 24 % of major trauma patients in 2020 [1]. Their consequences can be serious, especially for high-risk groups like the elderly, who are disproportionately represented [2,3]. Population-based cohort studies report a pneumonia rate of 5 %, and a mortality rate of 5 %, both increasing to 10 % in the elderly [2,4,5]. Beyond the acute complications, RFs contribute to chronic pain and disability, leading to difficulties returning to work and long-term use of opioids to control pain, which may have harmful consequences [6 –10].
Source: Injury - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Source Type: research