An analysis of conservative treatment and operation for elderly midshaft fractures of the clavicle
LUO Tao
CHEN Yu
HUA Yun-yi
HUANG Wei-jie
Abstract：Objective To compare clinical outcomes of conservative treatment and operation for elderly midshaft fractures of the clavicle.Methods Fifty-nine cases with midshaft fractures of the clavicle from January 2011 to January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed, including 43 males and 16 females. Thirty cases received conservative treatment ( external fixation with shoulder and elbow girdle ) and 29 cases received operation ( open reduction and internal fixation with reconstruction plate ). Fracture union was evaluated with X-rays and shoulder functions were evaluated with Constant-Murley score at 6 months, 12 months and 24 months postoperatively.Results All patients were followed up. The mean follow up period was 25.2 months ( range: 24-28 months ). The mean period of radiographic union was ( 24.5±1.1 ) weeks including 2 nonunion cases in conservative group, and ( 14.4±2.2 ) weeks in operative group without nonunion or hardware-related complications. statistically signiifcant (t=8.012,P=0.000 ). According to Constant-Murley scoring system, the mean score was ( 43.5±4.5 ) in conservative group and ( 55.4±6.2 ) in operative group 6 months after the injury with statistical significance (t=3.803,P=0.001 ). The results were ( 68±4.2 ) in conservative group and ( 72±2.6 ) in perative group 12 months after the injury with statistical signiifcance (t=2.837,P=0.008 ). The results were ( 78±4.8 ) in conservative group and ( 82±5.8 ) in perative group 24 months after the injury without statistical signiifcance (t=0.260,P=0.800 ).Conclusions Operative treatment provides an earlier functional recovery of the shoulder in elderly people. The shoulder functions in operative treatment are better than in the conservative treatment. However there are no statistical differences between operation and conservative treatment in long-term shoulder founction recovery.
Keywords：Midshaft fracture of the clavicleElderlyOperation
Publication Date：2015-01-01
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 518-521 )