• Dongxu Feng, Yang Yang, Xiaomin Kang, Lisong Heng, Jun Zhang, and Yangjun Zhu.
• Department of Orthopaedic Trauma, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
• Injury. 2023 Mar 18.

IntroductionFracture of the medial end of the clavicle is very rare. There is no consensus on the standard surgical strategy for medial clavicle fracture, and treatment is challenging. This study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of internal plate fixation for displaced medial clavicle fracture.MethodsPatients who underwent internal plating of a displaced medial clavicle fracture were included in this retrospective study. Each patient underwent open reduction and fixation with an internal extra-articular locking plate or trans-articular hook plate based on their fracture type. Postoperative follow-up included radiographs for assessment of bone union, Constant-Murley score for shoulder function, Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire for upper limb function, and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain. Any complications were also recorded.ResultsBetween May 2014 and July 2021, 34 patients (9 females, 25 males; mean age, 50.0 ± 14.8 years) were treated with internal plate fixation and included in this study. The fracture line was located in the medial fifth of the clavicle in 32 patients, and 20 patients had intra-articular fracture. Eighteen patients had the fracture fixed with a locking plate, namely an inverted distal clavicle plate (n = 7), straight locking plate (n = 3), distal fibular plate (n = 3), and T-plate (n = 5); the other 16 patients were treated with a clavicle hook plate. During a mean follow-up of 30.7 ± 26.5 months, 33 patients achieved bone healing, the average Constant-Murley score was 90.9 ± 11.0 points, the mean DASH score was 6.0 ± 6.6 points, and the mean VAS was 0.4 ± 1.1 points. Complications occurred in five patients.ConclusionsBoth locking plates and hook plates are effective in treating displaced medial clavicle fracture. A locking plate is recommended when there is enough bone stock in the medial fragment for stable fixation. A clavicle hook plate is recommended for cases in which the medial clavicle fracture is too small, comminuted, or has signs of sternoclavicular joint instability.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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