title: [Posterior sternoclavicular dislocation: diagnosis initially easy to miss].
abstract: Posterior sternoclavicular (SC) dislocation is a rare diagnosis, which tends to be missed initially. Here we report two cases of a dislocated SC joint: one left and one right. The first case describes a 25-year-old male who sustained a direct injury caused by his seatbelt during a car accident. The diagnosis was made 3 months after the initial trauma following performance of a CT scan. His left SC joint was stabilized using a hamstring tendon allograft. The second patient, a 55-year-old female, sustained an indirect injury following a fall onto her right shoulder. The diagnosis was made 6 weeks after the trauma had occurred. Her SC joint was also stabilized using a tendon allograft reconstruction. The clinical outcome of both cases was very satisfactory. Better diagnostics - more attention for subtle symptoms during physical examination, the right choice of imaging (CT scan) and meticulous following of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols - could diminish the number of delayed diagnoses in this rare but potentially dangerous injury.
authors: AZ Monica, Afd. Orthopedie en Traumatologie, Deurne-Antwerpen, België.
authors: Kjell C C J
authors: KC
authors: Jaspars
authors: Kristien
authors: K
authors: Vuylsteke
authors: Jef
authors: J
authors: Peeters
authors: Geert
authors: G
authors: Declercq
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Verborgt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013247:Sternoclavicular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D013710:Tendons / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome