European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Most clavicle fractures are treated conservatively. Treatment of medial clavicle fractures is still controversially discussed in the community of upper extremity surgeons. An increasing number of symptomatic non-unions following conservative treatment of displaced fractures led to the development of various surgical approaches. Aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological outcome following operative treatment of displaced medial end clavicle fractures.
Methods: Patients who presented with a displaced fracture of the medial clavicle between March 2021 and December 2022 were prospectively enrolled in this study. All patients were operatively treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) using an anatomically precontoured locking compression plate (LCP) originally designed for the lateral clavicle. Functional outcome was recorded using the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score; Constant–Murley score; visual analog scale (VAS) score; and complications.
Results: The patients were regularly followed up after the operation, and functional parameters were assessed over time. At a mean follow-up of 28.1±2.0 months, each fracture had solid bone union. The mean shoulder forward fexion was 159.3°±7.9°, and the mean DASH score was 8.8±5.1. The mean Constant–Murley score was 88.9±7.9, with six cases assessed as excellent and one case assessed as good. The mean VAS score was 1.0±1.5, and the mean patient satisfaction score was 9.3±0.8. No complications occurred, and each patient was able to resume their preinjury daily activity and was highly satisfed with their treatment.
Conclusion: Surgical treatment of displaced medial clavicle fractures using an anatomically precontoured locking plate originally designed for the lateral clavicle led to very good to excellent clinical and functional results