Abstract

BackgroundTreatment of lateral fractures of the clavicle is challenging and has been controversially discussed for a long time due to high non-union rates in non-operative treatment and high complication rates in surgical treatment. Acromioclavicular joint instability due to the injury of the closely neighbored coraco-clavicular ligaments can result in a cranialization of the medial clavicle shaft. A recently developed implant showed a promising functional outcome in a small collective of patients.MethodsIn this prospective study, 20 patients with a mean age of 40.7 ± 11.3 years with a dislocated fracture of the lateral clavicle (Jäger&Breitner I-III, Neer I-III) were enrolled. All patients were surgically treated using the locking compression plate (LCP) for the superior anterior clavicle (Synthes®). Functional outcome was recorded using the Munich Shoulder Questionnaire (MSQ) allowing for qualitative self-assessment of the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), of the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score and of the Constant Score. Acromioclavicular joint stability was evaluated using the Taft-Score.ResultsThe mean follow-up was 14.2 ± 4.0 months. The mean MSQ was 87.0 ± 7.4 points, the mean SPADI 91.1 ± 11.3 points, the mean DASH score 7.6 ± 7.3 points and the mean normative age- and sex-specific Constant Score 85.6 ± 8.0 points. The mean Taft Score resulted in 10.7 ± 1.0 points. The mean Taft Score in lateral clavicular fractures with fracture gap between the coracoclavicular ligaments in combination with a rupture of the conoid ligament (J&B II a, Neer II B; n =11) was with 10.3 ± 0.9 points significantly lower than the mean Taft Score of all other types of lateral clavicle fractures (J&B I, II b, III; n =9) which resulted in 11.3 ± 0.9 points (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe Synthes® LCP superior anterior clavicle plate allows for a safe stabilization and good functional outcome with high patient satisfaction in fractures of the lateral clavicle. However, in fractures type Jäger&Breitner II a, Neer II B a significant acromioclavicular joint instability was observed and additional reconstruction of the coracoclavicular ligaments should be performed.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT02256059. Registered 02 October 2014.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2474-15-380) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights

  • Treatment of lateral fractures of the clavicle is challenging and has been controversially discussed for a long time due to high non-union rates in non-operative treatment and high complication rates in surgical treatment

  • The mean Taft Score in lateral clavicular fractures with fracture gap between the coracoclavicular ligaments in combination with a rupture of the conoid ligament (J&B II a, Neer II B; n =11) was with 10.3 ± 0.9 points significantly lower than the mean Taft Score of all other types of lateral clavicle fractures (J&B I, II b, III; n =9) which resulted in 11.3 ± 0.9 points (p < 0.05)

  • The Synthes® locking compression plate (LCP) superior anterior clavicle plate allows for a safe stabilization and good functional outcome with high patient satisfaction in fractures of the lateral clavicle

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Summary

Introduction

Treatment of lateral fractures of the clavicle is challenging and has been controversially discussed for a long time due to high non-union rates in non-operative treatment and high complication rates in surgical treatment. Non-operative treatment of lateral clavicle fractures (Neer type II) results in a non-union rate of 33% [3], whereas surgical treatment leads to a union rate of up to. Treatment of lateral clavicle fractures was controversially discussed for a long time. Several authors reported promising clinical and radiological results using a new, precontoured, locking compression plate with lateral extension, the so-called LCP superior anterior clavicle plate (Depuy-Synthes®, 4528 Zuchwil, Switzerland), usable for both internal fixation of lateral clavicle fractures [5,6] and operative management of clavicular non-union [7]. Up to now, there are no studies focusing on long term follow-up

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