Incentive Spirometry is commonly used for respiratory recovery. The literature on incentive spirometry and its impact on patients with rib fracture is unclear and there are no recommendations regarding its use in the Emergency Department (ED), particularly in rib fracture patients, which are known for increasing the risk of pulmonary complication. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the use of incentive spirometry and to measure its impacts on delayed complications in patients discharged from the ED with confirmed rib fracture.

This is a planned sub-study of a prospective observational cohort recruited in 4 Canadians ED between November 2006 and May 2012. Non-admitted patients over 16 y.o. with at least one confirmed rib fracture on radiographs were included. Prescription of incentive spirometry was left to attending physician. Main outcomes were development of pneumonia, atelectasis, and hemothorax within 14 days. Propensity score matching analyses were performed.

439 patients were included and 182 (41.5%) patients received incentive spirometry. There were 99 cases of hemothorax (22.6%), 103 cases of atelectasis (23.5%) and 4 cases of pneumonia (0.9%). The use of incentive spirometry was not protector for hemothorax [RR = 1.03 (0.66–1.64)] and atelectasis or pneumonia [RR = 1.07 (0.68–1.72)].

Our results suggest that unsupervised incentive spirometry use does not have a protective effect against delayed pulmonary complications after rib fracture. Further research should be conducted to assess the usefulness of incentive spirometry in specific injured population in the ED.