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Related Experiment Videos

Infection after clavicle fractures.

Scott F M Duncan1, John W Sperling, Scott Steinmann

  • 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, AZ 85054, USA. duncan.scott@mayo.edu

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research
|October 6, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Infections following clavicle fractures are challenging to treat, with a low rate of bony union. Early or delayed infections require careful management due to poor outcomes.

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Area of Science:

  • Orthopedic surgery
  • Infectious disease

Background:

  • Infection after clavicular fracture treatment is a rare but serious complication.
  • Limited literature exists on managing these specific infections.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review cases of infection following clavicular fractures.
  • To identify causative organisms, union rates, and functional outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of six patients treated for clavicle fracture infection between 1995 and 2001.
  • Analysis of infection types, timing, and treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Five infections were postoperative after open reduction and internal fixation; one was post-nonunion erosion.
  • Three polymicrobial and three single-organism infections were identified.

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  • Only two of six patients achieved bony union; prognosis is generally poor.

    • Conclusions:

    • Clavicle fracture infections present significant treatment challenges with a high likelihood of nonunion.
    • Both acute and delayed infections can occur, with delayed infections often associated with nonunion.
    • Surgeons must be aware of the poor prognosis and difficulty in managing these complications.