Presentation
Motor Vehicle accident, right sided chest/shoulder pain.
Patient Data
There is a comminuted fracture of the distal aspect of the right clavicle; there is inferior displacement and overlapping of the fragments.
Case Discussion
Fractures of the clavicle are common in adults, they account for 44-66% of shoulder fractures 1. The diaphysis of the clavicle is the most common site of fracture in adults, with direct trauma to the shoulder being the prevailing mechanism of injury 2.
Distal or lateral fractures of the clavicle account for 3% of clavicle injuries 3, they have a high incidence of non-union; proposed to be a result of the forces acting on the medial fragment via the trapezius muscle and the overall weight of the arm on the fracture site 4.
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