Table 1.

Pre-operative characteristics

Variable	Value
Age (years), median [IQR 25–75]	58.3 [46.5–77.0]
Men, n (%)	28 (67)
SAPS II, median [IQR 25–75]	26 [18–34]
ISS, median [IQR 25–75]	21 [16–28]
TTSS, median [IQR 25–75]	11 [9–12]
Comorbidity
Charlson score, median [IQR 25–75]	0 [0–1]
Smoking, n (%)	17 (40)
Cause of thoracic trauma, n (%)
Road traffic accident	20 (48)
Domestic fall	17 (40)
Time from trauma to ICU admission (days), median [IQR 25–75]	3.0 [2–5.8]
Number of broken ribs, median [IQR 25–75]	7 [5–8.8]
Flail chest, n (%)	39 (93)
Pulmonary contusion, n (%)(1)	27 (67)
1 lobe	16 (40)
2 lobes	7 (17)
> 2 lobes	4 (10)
Pleural involvement, n (%)(1)	34 (85)
Isolated pleural effusion	3 (7)
Pneumothorax/Hemopneumothorax unilateral	29 (72)
Pneumothorax/Hemopneumothorax bilateral	1 (2)
Tension pneumothorax	1 (2)
Associated intra-thoracic fractures, n (%)(2)	20 (51)
Sternum	3 (8)
Clavicle	5 (13)
Scapula	9 (23)
Vertebrae	3 (8)
Extra-thoracic injury, n (%)	17 (40)
Head and neck injury, n	2
(Specific intervention needed), n	(0)
Face, n	4
(Surgery needed), n	(2)
Extremities, n	5
(Surgery needed), n	(3)
Abdomen, n	3
(Specific intervention needed), n	(1)
Spine, n	3
(Surgical or radiological procedures needed), n	(2)
Preoperative respiratory status, n (%)
Respiratory failure *	12 (29)
Invasive ventilation	6 (14)
Non-invasive ventilation	6 (14)
High flow nasal oxygen therapy	1 (2)

SAPS II, Simplified Acute Physiologic Score; ISS, Injury Severity Score; ICU, intensive care unit; TTSS, Thoracic Trauma Severity Score

*NIV was used for hypoxemic and hypercapnic patients, while HFNO was administered to hypoxemic patients without hypercapnia. Without rapid clinical or biological improvement, patients received invasive mechanical ventilation

Date available for 40 patients ⁽¹⁾ and 39 patients ⁽²⁾