Functional and oncological outcomes after total claviculectomy for primary malignancy

Primary malignancies of the clavicle are very rare, and scarce data are available regarding the functional and oncologic outcome after total claviculectomy. This is a retrospective review of 9 patients with primary clavicular malignancy, between 2000 and 2010, treated with total claviculectomy. There were 5 females and 4 males with a mean age of 29 years (range, 16 to 56). After a mean follow-up period of 46 months (range, 24-102 months) all patients were alive and without local recurrence or metastases. Patients had almost a full range of motion without pain, without significant functional deficit. The mean Constant-Murley score (best possible score = 100) improved from 26 to 79 (p < 0.001), while the VAS for pain improved from 8.7 to 2.4 (p < 0.001). Therefore, total claviculectomy may be a useful salvage procedure for primary clavicular malignancy.