title: [Brachial plexus injury due to unhealed or wrongly healed clavicular fracture].
abstract: Two men, aged 65 and 27 years, had persistent dysesthesia of digits IV and V 18 and 8 months, respectively, after conservative treatment of dislocated comminuted clavicular fractures. In both patients, the fracture was found to have healed poorly. There was pseudoarthrosis, shortening and malrotation. Following surgical decompression of the neurogenic structures by elongation and internal fixation of the clavicle, motor and sensory functions recovered completely. The incidence of clavicular fractures is high, but complications are rare. Symptom recognition and timely treatment can prevent irreversible nerve damage.
authors.affiliation: Leids Universitair Medisch Centrum, Polikliniek voor Perifeer Zenuwletsel, Postbus 9600, 2300 RC Leiden.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Onstenk
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Malessy
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Nelissen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005385:Fingers / Q000294:innervation; D017102:Fracture Healing; D018460:Fractures, Comminuted / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D020127:Recovery of Function
vernacular_title: Plexus-brachialisletsel door niet genezen of in afwijkende stand genezen claviculafracturen.