Anteroinferior 2.7-mm versus 3.5-mm plating for AO/OTA type B clavicle fractures: a comparative cohort clinical outcomes study.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and Constant scores, time to union, rate of union, patient cosmetic satisfaction rate, and the need for secondary procedures between 2.7- and 3.5-mm anteroinferior plating for Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO)/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) type B clavicle fractures.


METHODS
Retrospective, comparative cohort clinical outcomes study.


METHODS
Level I university trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPATION: Thirty-seven patients with an AO/OTA type B clavicle fracture who underwent open reduction internal fixation with either a 2.7- or 3.5-mm reconstruction plate placed in the anterior-inferior position. The main outcome comparisons included DASH score, Constant score, time to union, rate of union, rate of hardware failure, cosmetic satisfaction, and secondary procedure.


METHODS
DASH score, constant score, time to union, rate of union, cosmetic satisfaction, secondary procedure.


RESULTS
At 1-year follow-up, analysis yielded no significant differences in DASH scores (P = 0.26) and Constant Shoulder scores (P = 0.79) between the 2 cohorts. There were no statistically significant differences in the time to union (P = 0.86) and the rate of union (P = 0.49). Although the 2.7-mm cohort had a lower reoperation rate, it was not statistically significant (P = 0.11). However, the 2.7-mm cohort did demonstrate a significantly higher rate of cosmetically acceptable reconstruction (P = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with 3.5-mm anterior-inferior plating, 2.7-mm anteroinferior plating for AO/OTA type B clavicle fractures leads to significantly higher rates of cosmetic acceptability while reducing the need for a secondary procedure and achieving excellent clinical outcomes as measured by the DASH and Constant scores. There were no differences between the 2.7 and 3.5 cohorts in time to union or in union rate.


METHODS
Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Division of Orthopedic Trauma, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
Balazs
B
Galdi
Richard S
RS
Yoon
Edward W
EW
Choung
Mark C
MC
Reilly
Michael
M
Sirkin
Wade R
WR
Smith
Frank A
FA
Liporace
D000328:Adult; D001860:Bone Plates; D002968:Clavicle / Q000293:injuries*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult