Operative Treatment of the Clavicular Fracture with Reconstruction Plate

Kang, Jae Do; Kim, Kwang Yul; Kim, Hyung Chun; Kang, Gew Hun

Abstract

It had been reported by many authors that the incidence of delayed or nonunion in fracture of clavicle was higher in open reduction and internal fixation than conservative treatment. The purpose of this study is to verify the gratification of the reconstruction plate in fracture of clavicle which needed internal fixation. From March 1993 to September 1995, 32 clavicular fractures were underwent open reduction and internal fixation with reconstruction plate for the wide gap, soft tissue interposition and comminuted fracture etc. The results were as follows 1. The range of motion of the shoulder was returned to normal range within 1.5 weeks except one case who had brachial plexus injury. 2. All cases had bony union. Average time to clinical union was 2.9 weeks and the bony union 7.8 weeks. 3. By functional evaluation of shoulder by Weitzman, final results were excellent in 27, good in 4 and fair in l. 4.Fixation and maintenance of clavicular fragment by reconstruction plate was recommendable for wide separated, soft tissue interposed, comminuted fracture of the clavicle. We concluded that reconstruction plate in fracture of clavicle could be recommended as one of the device for internal fixation.