Operative Treatment of Clavicle Fracture

Jin Man Wang

Copyright ⓒ 1989. Ewha Womans University School of Medicine. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Published Online: Jul 24, 2015

Abstract

Clinical studies have indicated that the non-operative treatment is the best method for clavicle fracture and the operative treatment may contribute to the development of non-union. But some clavicle fractures may be difficult to treat only by non-operative method.

From March, 1980 to May, 1989, 42 patients with clavicle fractures were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with threaded steinmann pin and plate & screws at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of Ewha Womans University Hospital.

The results were as follows;

1) The avarage duration of union of fracture was 6.7 weeks.

2) By open reduction & internal fixation, gross deformity such as large bone hypertrophy, joint stiffness and shortening was minimized.

3) The plate & screws fixation is more satisfactory result than threaded steinmann pin fixation.

Keywords: Clavicle fracture; Open reduction; Internal fixation; Steinmann pin; Plate