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A Rat Tibial Growth Plate Injury Model to Characterize Repair Mechanisms and Evaluate Growth Plate Regeneration Strategies
Published on: July 4, 2017
Clavicle nonunion in a 10-year-old boy.
Neema Pourtaheri1, Allan M Strongwater
1Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, St Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, 703 Main St, Paterson, NJ 07503, USA. npourtah@gmail.com
Orthopedics
|March 6, 2012
Summary
Pediatric posttraumatic clavicle nonunion is rare but treatable. Internal fixation with plate fixation provides excellent results for young patients with clavicle fractures that fail to heal.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic surgery
- Pediatric trauma care
Background:
- Posttraumatic clavicle nonunion is an uncommon complication, especially in pediatric patients.
- Previous reports detail limited cases and various treatment modalities for pediatric clavicle nonunions.
Observation:
- A 10-year-old boy sustained a midshaft clavicle fracture treated conservatively with a sling for over four months.
- The fracture progressed to a hypertrophic nonunion with persistent pain during activity.
- Radiographic evaluation did not suggest pseudarthrosis but confirmed nonunion.
Findings:
- Surgical intervention with internal fixation (plate fixation) successfully achieved union in this pediatric case.
- The patient experienced no complications and returned to full daily activities within six months post-surgery.
- Hardware was not removed at the family's request, with no reported tenderness at the hardware site.
Implications:
- Plate fixation is a safe and effective treatment for pediatric posttraumatic clavicle nonunion.
- This approach yields excellent functional outcomes in young patients with recalcitrant clavicle fractures.
- Further research may explore optimal hardware management strategies in pediatric nonunion cases.
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