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Published on: March 12, 2021
Changes in clavicle length in acute fractures within 3 weeks: a prospective ultrasonographic study of 59 patients
A H Thorsmark1,2, O M Christensen3, S Torp-Pedersen4
1Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Holbæk Hospital, 4300, Holbæk, Denmark. Anders.hoej@gmail.com.
Background:
Within traumatology a common indication for acute surgery of fractured clavicles is bone shortening over 2 cm. This indication is among but a few indications; which are recommended to be treated operatively within the very first weeks after a fracture. Theoretically clavicle fractures could become less shortened over time due to decreasing muscle pull. If this reduced shortening does indeed happen, some patients with initial bone shortening over 2 cm could perhaps be treated conservatively? However, it is unknown what happens to the length of the clavicle within the first weeks after a fracture. The aim of this study was to investigate if the length of the fresh fractured clavicles changes within the first three weeks.
Methods:
Rested length measurements using navigation ultrasound were done on 59 patients with a fractured clavicle. Measurements were performed within the first three weeks after a lateral or mid-clavicular fracture. The inclusion period was from March 2014 to February 2016. Median age was 40 years and age range was 18-81 years. The data was analyzed using mixed linear models.
Results:
The clavicle length showed no change within the first three weeks after fracture (p = 0.24).
Conclusion:
Fractured clavicles retain their length for the first three weeks.
