Which chest injury refers to a fractured rib that may damage the lung or intercostal vessels?

• A. Pulmonary contusion
• B. Rib injury
• C. Hemothorax
• D. Open pneumothorax

Answer: (B)

A fractured rib is a rib injury—the broken bone itself can directly threaten nearby structures such as the lung and the intercostal vessels. When a rib breaks, sharp edges can lacerate lung tissue, potentially causing a pneumothorax or pulmonary contusion, and can also tear the intercostal vessels that run along the bottom edge of each rib, leading to bleeding. This makes rib injury the best description for an injury focused on a broken rib and its risk to the lung and vessels.

Pulmonary contusion describes bruising of the lung tissue without a fracture. Hemothorax refers to blood accumulating in the chest cavity, often from chest trauma but not specifically the fracture itself. Open pneumothorax is a penetrating chest wound allowing air to enter the pleural space, causing lung collapse, which is a different mechanism from a simple rib fracture.