Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition 2009;94:F138-F139
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
How common are rib fractures in extremely low birth weight preterm infants?
1 Paediatric Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital for Women and Children, Manchester, UK
2 Paediatric Radiology, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Manchester, UK
3 Perinatal & Paediatric Radiology, St. Mary’s Hospital for Women and Children, Manchester, UK
4 Neonatal Medicine, St. Mary’s Hospital for Women and Children, Manchester, UK
Zulf Mughal, Consultant Paediatrician & Honorary Senior Lecturer in Child Health, Department of Paediatrics, Saint Mary’s Hospital for Women & Children, Hathersage Road, Manchester, M13 0JH UK; zulf.mughal{at}cmmc.nhs.uk
Background: This study was prompted by incidental finding of healing rib fractures on chest radiographs of ex-preterm born infants, who were admitted to hospital with acute respiratory illnesses within a few weeks of discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Rib fractures in infants, particularly those situated posteriorly, are considered to be specific for non-accidental injury (NAI).
Methods: Retrospective examination of radiographs of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants (
1000 g) with a gestation range of 22 of 33 weeks, cared for at a tertiary NICU, between 1998 and 2002, and who had survived 
4 weeks.
Results: Five out of 72 (7%) infants studied had radiologically apparent rib fractures. None involved posterior rib shafts. All infants with rib fractures died on the NICU.
Conclusions: The possibility of NAI should be considered in ex-ELBW infants found to have rib fractures.
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This article has been cited by other articles:
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(2009). Rib Fractures Are Rare in Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants. JWatch Pediatrics
2009: 2-2
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