Clavicle fracture
| Clavicle fracture | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Broken collarbone |
| X-ray of a left clavicle fracture | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine |
| Symptoms | Pain, deformity of clavicle bone, decreased ability to move the affected arm |
| Complications | Unpleasant appearance, non-union (failure of fracture healing), open fracture, Pneumothorax, injury to the nerves or blood vessels in the area, |
| Usual onset | Sudden |
| Types | Type I (middle third of bone), Type II (lateral third of bone), Type III (medial third of bone) |
| Causes | Fall onto a shoulder, outstretched arm, or direct trauma |
| Diagnostic method | Based on symptoms, confirmed with X-rays |
| Treatment | Pain medication, sling, surgery |
| Prognosis | Up to five months for complete healing depending on treatment course (non-operative vs operative) and presence of complications |
| Frequency | 5% of adult fractures, 13% of children's fractures |
A clavicle fracture, also known as a broken collarbone, is a partial or complete break of the clavicle bone. Symptoms typically include pain and tenderness at the site of the break and a decreased ability to move the affected arm. Other symptoms may also include reports of a cracking sensation during the injury, swelling, and deformity over the injury site. Complications can include a collection of air in the pleural space surrounding the lung (pneumothorax), injury to the nerves or blood vessels in the area, and an unpleasant appearance.
It is most often caused by a fall directly onto a shoulder, direct trauma to the bone, or a fall onto an outstretched arm. The fracture can also occur in a baby during childbirth. Rare causes of clavicle fractures include muscle contractions during seizures and minimal trauma in the setting of pathologic bone conditions. The middle section of the clavicle is most often involved. Diagnosis is typically based on symptoms and trauma then confirmed with X-rays.
Clavicle fractures can be treated operatively or non-operatively. Operative treatment involves alignment and stabilization of the fracture with plates and screws or an intramedullary device. Non-operative treatment consists of immobilization by putting the arm in a standard sling for three to four weeks. Pain medication such as paracetamol (acetaminophen) may be useful. It can take up to five months for the strength of the bone to return to normal. Reasons for surgical repair include an open fracture, involvement of the nerves or blood vessels, tenting of the skin, or severe displacement in a high-demand individual
Clavicle fractures most commonly occur in people under the age of 25 and those over the age of 70. Among the younger group males are more often affected than females. In adults they make up about 5% of all fractures while in children they represent about 13% of fractures.