title: The unstable shoulder girdle: early functional treatment utilizing open reduction and internal fixation.
abstract: The unstable shoulder girdle--a combination of a scapular neck fracture with a clavicular fracture, acromioclavicular dislocation, or sternoclavicular dislocation--represents a rare and often underestimated injury. Sufficient treatment to permit early function is necessary to avoid a frozen shoulder as well as to treat concomitant thoracic injuries. This is possible only by open reduction and internal fixation. In most cases this can be achieved by a sole osteosynthesis of the clavicular injury. We retrospectively analyzed 12 cases and classified the results according to the Constant Score. This analysis showed excellent functional results in nearly all cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kantonsspital, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rikli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Regazzoni
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Renner
mesh_terms: D000173:Acromioclavicular Joint / Q000293:injuries; D000328:Adult; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012540:Scapula / Q000293:injuries; D012782:Shoulder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries