

Ideally, surgeons like to perform surgery within 1-2 weeks of injury. Surgery takes under an hour and can often be done on a “same day” or outpatient basis. Pins use smaller incisions but have been associated with higher complication rates. Plates and screws require bigger incisions but ensure that the bone is lined up perfectly. Several studies have shown that surgery helps reduce pain, get people back to work sooner and maintains shoulder strength and motion.īroken clavicles can be fixed with plates and screws or pins. Surgeons may recommend an operation to fix the broken collarbone if it is broken into many pieces, if the bones are far apart, if the bone sticks out through the skin, or if the nerves or blood vessels are injured. Surgical Treatment for Broken Collarbones Cutting down or quitting smoking and tight blood sugar control if you are a diabetic is important for the healing process. If non-operative care is chosen, regular follow-up care for a physical exam and xrays is important to ensure that the fracture stays in good position and heals appropriately. These devices are used for support and comfort only. Science has shown that there is no difference in use of a sling, shoulder immobilizer or figure-of-eight brace. Minor fractures with minimal displacement do very well with nonsurgical treatment. Many heal just fine without an operation. Non-Surgical Treatment for Clavicle FracturesĬlavicle fractures do not always require surgery. John Zebrack, MD General Orthopedic Surgery Jeffrey Webster, MD General Orthopedic Surgery Nichole Joslyn, MD Hand & Upper Extremity

Thomas Christensen, MD Hand & Upper Extremity James Christensen, MD Hand & Upper Extremity Nikola Babovic, MD Hand & Upper Extremity
