Function plateaus by one year in patients with surgically treated displaced midshaft clavicle fractures
Laura A Schemitsch1, Emil H Schemitsch, Christian Veillette
1Upper Extremity Reconstructive Service, St Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Suite 800, 55 Queen Street E, Toronto, Ontario M5C 1R6, Canada.
Background:
Based on short-term (1 year or less) followup, primary fixation of displaced midshaft clavicle fractures reportedly results in better function compared with that reported for nonoperative methods. Whether better function persists beyond 1 year is unclear.
Questions/Purposes:
For displaced midshaft clavicle fractures, do the better mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and Constant-Murley Shoulder (CSS) scores for operative versus nonoperative treatment at 1 year change between 1- and 2-year followup?
Patients And Methods:
We previously reported 132 patients in a randomized prospective trial at 1 year, and here we report a further followup of 95 of the 132 patients (72%) at 2 years after injury. We evaluated all patients with the DASH and CSS scores.
Results:
The mean DASH and CSS scores were similar at 2 years compared with 1 year postinjury for both the nonoperated and operated patients. The mean scores for the operated patients remained higher than those in the nonoperative group (DASH operative 4.1 ± 7.0 versus DASH nonoperative 11.4 ± 19.7, CSS operative 97.1 ± 4.5 versus CSS nonoperative 91.6 ± 14.1) at 2 years postinjury.
Conclusions:
The improvement in DASH and CSS scores seen with primary fixation of displaced clavicle fractures persists at 2 years but does not differ from values seen after 1 year of followup, suggesting a clinical steady state has been reached whereby outcome is unlikely to change with time.
Level Of Evidence:
Level I, therapeutic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Related Concept Videos
01:09Changes in the Appendicular Skeleton with Age
Initially, the limb buds consist of a core of mesenchyme covered by a layer of ectoderm. The ectoderm at the end of the limb bud thickens to form a narrow crest called the apical ectodermal ridge. This ridge stimulates the underlying...
01:27Fractures: Bone Repair
Minor fractures with no bone displacement are treated by immobilizing the fractured bone using a cast or splint. However, in the case of fractures with displaced bones, the broken bones are repositioned before immobilization to ensure successful healing without deformation and loss of function. The realignment of fractured bone ends is performed through a process called reduction. If the procedure...
01:26Flail Chest-II
Assessment:
1. Clinical Evaluation:
History:
01:24Bone Formation by Endochondral Ossification