Injuries of distal clavicular physis in children

We report ten patients (all boys) with distal clavicular physeal injuries. Eighty percent of the injuries occurred on the right side. Nine boys were treated conservatively, but one required operation. Kirschner wire osteosynthesis was performed. Regardless of the type of treatment, all patients healed without functional sequelae. In seven of the nine treated conservatively, however, a deformity of the injured shoulder resulted. I suggest that in cases of great displacement of the central metaphyseal fragment resulting in shortening of the clavicle an open reduction with internal fixation is indicated for cosmetic reasons.