Outcome of clavicular fracture in 89 patients

Abstract

During 1982, 118 patients with clavicular fracture were treated in the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Helsinki University Central Hospital. Eighty-nine patients appeared for the follow-up examination in 1984. Eighty-three fractures were treated with immobilization in a sling. Four fractures were treated with plate fixation primarily and two patients were operated on for delayed union. The immobilization averaged 21 days, range 10-42 days. The follow-up was 2 years in all cases. The result was good in 65 cases, satisfactory in 20, and poor in 4 cases. Patients with primary dislocation of more than 15 mm or with shortening observed at the follow-up examination had statistically significantly more pain than patients without these findings.