TY - JOUR

T1 - Changes in clavicle length in acute fractures within 3 weeks

T2 - a prospective ultrasonographic study of 59 patients

AU - Thorsmark, A H

AU - Christensen, O M

AU - Torp-Pedersen, S

AU - Overgaard, S

AU - Frich, L H

PY - 2017/11/29

Y1 - 2017/11/29

N2 - 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.

AB - 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.

U2 - 10.1186/s12891-017-1842-4

DO - 10.1186/s12891-017-1842-4

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 29187197

VL - 18

JO - B M C Musculoskeletal Disorders

JF - B M C Musculoskeletal Disorders

SN - 1471-2474

M1 - 503

ER -