To investigate the effect of early minimally invasive Judet fixation on the respiratory function of patients with traumatic flail chest.

The clinical data of 60 patients with flail chest complicated by pulmonary contusion treated between January 2008 and December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were randomly divided into two groups according to the admission time. Patients in surgical treatment group(n=30) were managed with Judet fixation (minimally invasive fixation of embedded Judet) within 72 h after admission, and patients in conservative treatment group(n=30) received chest compression bandaging, butterfly-shaped adhesive external fixation or ventilator-assisted ventilation. The recovery of respiratory function and incidences of postoperative complications were compared between two groups.

The forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV₁), maximum minute ventilation(MMV) and forced vital capacity(FVC) 24 h after operation in surgical treatment group were significantly better than those in conservative treatment group (t=1.923, P=0.026; t=4.981, P=0.037; t=1.892, P=0.024). Besides, the prevalence of pulmonary infection in surgical treatment group was significantly lower than that in conservative treatment group(χ²=4.286, P=0.049).

Early surgical comprehensive treatment for flail chest complicated by pulmonary contusion is necessary and feasible, which can promote the recovery from chest deformity and recovery of respiratory function, and reduce the incidences of complications.