Mode
Home
Research
Clinical Trials Drug Pipeline Weekly Digests
Reference
Conditions Medications
Community
Questions
Text Size
Log in / Sign up
Home › Conditions › Rib Fracture

Rib Fracture

4 published articles · Updated continuously

Clinical Trial Landscape

Clinical Trials for Rib Fracture

9 trials tracked for Rib Fracture: 3 in phase 3 or 4 and 3 with published results. The most-cited published study has 203 citations.

9Trials tracked
3Phase 3 & 4
0Recruiting
3With published results
Phase distribution
Phase 4 3 Phase 2 1 Other / NA 5
  1. Phase 4 Dexmedotomidine for Acute Pain Control in Patients With Multiple Rib FracturesRandomized Controlled Trial Completed · 203 cited
  2. Phase 4 Ketamine Infusion Therapy for the Management of Acute Pain in Adult Rib Fracture Patients Completed · 79 cited
  3. Phase 4 Trial of Injected Liposomal Bupivacaine vs Bupivacaine Infusion After Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures Completed · 11 cited
  4. Phase 2 Intercostal Liposomal Bupivacaine for the Management of Blunt Chest Wall Trauma Completed
  5. N/A A Retrospective Review of Rib Fracture Pain Management at a London Major Trauma Centre Completed
  6. N/A Clinical Study of the U-Plate Fracture Repair System to Treat Rib Fractures Completed
Show 3 more trials
  1. N/A Comparative Evaluation of External Chest Wall Fixator Treatment Effectiveness in Patients With Rib Fractures Completed
  2. N/A Early Percutaneous Cryoablation for Pain Control After Rib Fractures Among Elderly Patients Completed
  3. N/A Treatment of Adult Traumatic Rib Fractures With Percutaneous Cryoneurolysis Completed

Showing the 9 most-cited and recently-updated of 9 trials. Browse the full registry →

Trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. Counts describe the research landscape and are not a treatment recommendation. Informational only — not medical advice.

What the trials found Updated — new results For clinicians

Rib Fracture: what the trials found

Dexmedetomidine is established as an intervention for rib fracture management in a Phase 4 trial 1.

Ketamine has been evaluated and utilized for pain management in patients with rib fractures, demonstrating Visual Analog Numeric Pain Scores of 5.8, 5.6, 4.4, and 5.1 4.

Liposomal bupivacaine injection was studied as a local regional anesthetic; results showed no statistically significant differences in SCARF scores (p=0.12), daily narcotic requirements (p=0.41), or the percentage of patients experiencing failure of primary loco-regional analgesia (p=0.23) 5.

Recent results — preliminary, needs further review

  • Cryoneurolysis of intercostal nerves showed no statistically significant difference in daily numeric pain scores (p=0.2228), while results for daily narcotic equivalents were not statistically significant (p=0.068); 30-day mortality was zero in both groups (p=0) 2.
  • Cryoneurolysis did not result in statistically significant differences in acute pain scores (p=0.493), ICU admissions (p=0.947), or length of hospital stay (p=0.77) 3.

For the clinician treating this condition

  • Pharmacological options for rib fracture include Dexmedetomidine 1 and Ketamine, the latter of which showed varied numeric pain scores in clinical evaluation 4.
  • Liposomal bupivacaine is established as a regional analgesic; however, it did not show statistically significant differences compared to standard care regarding respiratory function scores or narcotic requirements 5.
  • Cryoneurolysis of intercostal nerves shows no significant impact on acute pain scores or length of stay when compared to alternative treatments in recent studies [2, 3].

AI synthesis of 5 cited trials, updated Jun 26, 2026. Informational only — not medical advice; trial data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. How we use AI.

HCP Mode — summaries include clinical detail, trial data, and statistical outcomes.
Patient Mode — summaries use plain language, avoiding clinical jargon.
Thoracoscopic fixation reduces postoperative pain and blood loss in patients with multiple rib fractures
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Meta-analysis
Thoracoscopic fixation reduces postoperative pain and blood loss in patients with multiple rib fractures Thoracoscopic surgery may reduce pain for patients with rib fractures
This meta-analysis of 9 studies involving 751 patients found that thoracoscopic fixation significantly reduced postoperative pain on days 1 …
Patients with multiple rib fractures may experience less pain and shorter hospital stays when treated with thoracoscopic fixation instead of…
Jul 5, 2026
Intercostal nerve cryoablation reduces opioid use and ICU stay compared to surgical stabilization alone in rib fracture patients
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Meta-analysis
Intercostal nerve cryoablation reduces opioid use and ICU stay compared to surgical stabilization alone in rib fracture patients Freezing rib nerves may lower pain medicine needs and shorten hospital stays for broken ribs
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated intercostal nerve cryoablation versus surgical stabilization alone in adult patients with…
A new analysis suggests freezing rib nerves could reduce pain medicine use and shorten hospital time for adults with broken ribs, though mor…
Jun 1, 2026
Single-shot regional anesthesia likely reduces early pain and opioid use in rib fracture patients
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Meta-analysis
Single-shot regional anesthesia likely reduces early pain and opioid use in rib fracture patients Can a single nerve block ease the agony of broken ribs?
A systematic review and network meta-analysis of 738 adult rib fracture patients found that single-shot regional anesthesia (SSRA) technique…
A targeted nerve block can cut pain sharply in the first hours after broken ribs and reduce opioid needs, a review of 738 patients shows.
Apr 2, 2026
AI assistance improves rib fracture detection sensitivity and reduces diagnostic time in adults
Radiology & Imaging Meta-analysis
AI assistance improves rib fracture detection sensitivity and reduces diagnostic time in adults AI assistance may help doctors spot rib fractures faster on scans, review finds
A systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies in adults found AI assistance was associated with improved diagnostic sensitivity (mean …
AI assistance helps doctors spot rib fractures faster on scans, cutting diagnosis time by nearly two minutes, though study quality remains l…
Apr 2, 2026

Questions about Rib Fracture

Is single-shot regional anesthesia better than other methods for rib fracture pain?

Single-shot regional anesthesia is shown to reduce early pain and opioid use in patients with rib fractures compared to standard care.

Full answer →
Can intercostal nerve cryoablation help reduce opioid use for a rib fracture?

Intercostal nerve cryoablation can reduce opioid use and shorten intensive care unit stays for patients with rib fractures who undergo surgical stabilization.

Full answer →