Changes in clavicle length in acute fractures within 3 weeks: a prospective ultrasonographic study of 59 patients

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

Research Article

O. M. Christensen¹  A. H. Thorsmark²  L. H. Frich³  S. Overgaard³  S. Torp-Pedersen⁴ 

[1] Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Holbæk Hospital, 4300, Holbæk, Denmark;Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Holbæk Hospital, 4300, Holbæk, Denmark;Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, 5000, Odensen, Denmark;Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Odense University Hospital, 5000, Odensen, Denmark;Department of Clinical Research, University of Southern Denmark, 5000, Odense, Denmark;Department of Radiology, Rigshospitalet Glostrup, 2600, Glostrup, Denmark;

关键词: Ultrasound;    Length measurement;    Clavicle;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12891-017-1842-4

 received in 2017-04-24, accepted in 2017-11-14,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWithin 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.MethodsRested 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.ResultsThe clavicle length showed no change within the first three weeks after fracture (p = 0.24).ConclusionFractured clavicles retain their length for the first three weeks.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2017