Diagnostic dilemma of an atraumatic clavicle fracture following radical treatment for laryngeal carcinoma.
An atraumatic clavicular fracture presented after radical treatment for laryngeal carcinoma. This presented a diagnostic dilemma. The differential diagnosis included metastatic bone disease and osteomyelitis as well as post-radiotherapy complications. After investigation, the cause was thought to be a post-radiation fracture of the clavicle and to the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first ever documented in a patient who had undergone a total laryngectomy with bilateral modified radical neck dissections and post-operative radiotherapy. Cases of a fractured clavicle post-radiation have been most commonly documented in patients with breast cancer and only a few cases have been documented in patients with laryngeal cancer treated with a total laryngectomy, bilateral radical neck dissections and radiotherapy.
Pellard
Sarah
S
Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Royal Gwent Hospital, Newport, South Wales, UK. sarahpellard@hotmail.com
Moss
Laura
L
Boyce
Jamie M
JM
Brown
Marcus J K M
MJ
D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D002968:Clavicle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000528:radiation effects; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed