title: Unique distal clavicular fracture in an active-duty military population.
abstract: We present a series of distal clavicle fractures in which the coracoclavicular ligaments remain intact to the proximal segment, but the distal aspect of the clavicle is displaced superiorly. The fractures sustained in this series are not described in any of the multiple classification systems currently in use for clavicular fractures. We present a series of 2 active-duty patients who sustained nearly identical distal clavicle fractures during Army combatives training. A 23-year-old male was treated successfully with nonoperative therapy and returned to deployment within 2 months. A 23-year-old female failed nonoperative treatment and was successfully treated with an operative open distal clavicle resection. This rare fracture attributed to a specific mechanism of injury has a potential to be commonly encountered in active-duty patients taking part in mandatory combatives programs.
authors.affiliation: Orthopaedic Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, 9040A Fitzsimmons Drive, Ft Lewis, WA 98431, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Parada
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.forename: Eric G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Puttler
authors.forename: Edward D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Arrington
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D055815:Young Adult