title: Trends in the volume of operative treatment of midshaft clavicle fractures in children and adolescents: a retrospective, 12-year, single-institution analysis.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine institutional trends in the volume of clavicle fractures in children and adolescents. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients aged 10-18 years treated for a clavicle fracture between 1999 and 2011 at a single tertiary-care pediatric hospital. There were significant increases in the number of clavicle fractures seen annually, of midshaft clavicle fractures, and of midshaft clavicle fractures treated operatively. The percentage of midshaft clavicle fractures treated with fixation also increased significantly. The volumes of clavicle fractures and midshaft clavicle fractures treated operatively appear to be increasing. Despite a lack of evidence-based support, the frequency of fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures appear to be increasing in the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Suppan
authors.forename: Donald S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Bae
authors.forename: Kyna S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Donohue
authors.forename: Patricia E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Mininder S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kocher
authors.forename: Benton E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Heyworth
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001860:Bone Plates; D002648:Child; D002968:Clavicle / Q000601:surgery*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D005593:Fracture Fixation, Internal / Q000639:trends*; D017102:Fracture Healing; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers