Mid-clavicle fractures in adults: surgery or not?

Excerpt

Fractures of the clavicle are common, accounting for 3 to 5% of all fractures in adult. Most of them are the result of a direct impact on the shoulder rather than a fall on the outstretched hand or a direct blow to the clavicle by the seat belt shoulder strap. They usually affect active and healthy people during sports activities (as bicycle, ski, or ball sports) or road traffic accidents: these demanding patients are asking for quick and full recovery. Until recently, treatment was usually conservative for mid-clavicle fractures while surgical treatment was usually preferred for lateral end fractures. However, many papers in the last decade pointed out long-term deficits following conservative treatment, leading more surgeons to propose surgical treatment to their patients. This review will present the recent literature concerning the non-operative treatment of clavicle fractures, the various methods of surgical fixation and the comparative results. …