What is a common sign and symptom of flail chest?

Paradoxical motion of the chest wall is a hallmark sign in cases of flail chest. This condition occurs when a segment of the rib cage becomes detached from the rest of the thoracic skeleton due to multiple rib fractures, typically resulting from trauma. In flail chest, the affected part of the chest wall moves in the opposite direction to the rest of the chest during breathing: during inhalation, it caves inward, and during exhalation, it bulges outward. This abnormal movement can lead to compromised ventilation, decreased lung capacity, and respiratory distress.

Understanding the mechanics of breathing is crucial here. The ribs work together to create a negative pressure necessary for inhalation. When a section is flail, it disrupts this cohesive movement, leading to inadequate oxygenation and carbon dioxide elimination.

While hyperventilation may occur as the body attempts to compensate for decreased oxygenation, it is not specific to flail chest. Hypotension can occur due to multiple factors such as shock from injury but is not directly associated with the mechanical dysfunction of flail chest. Similarly, a pneumothorax may be present in trauma cases but is not a defining symptom of flail chest; rather, it describes a separate pathological state related to air in the