The collarbone is one of two long and thin bones, which connect the breastbone to two prominent bones of the scapula, and are found at the base of the neck. Directly under the skin, they are highly susceptible to fracture.
This fracture, which is known as a broken collarbone or broken collarbone, is very common among children and youth, and those who practice contact sports, including football, as well as collision sports such as car racing, and it is possible That infants are exposed to this fracture during the birth process.
In this topic, we discuss the problem of clavicle fracture in all its aspects, with an indication of the factors and causes that lead to this condition, as well as its symptoms that appear and distinguish it from other cases, and we present the prevention methods recommended by researchers , and modern treatment methods.
Falls and traumas
The injury to the clavicle fracture is due to exposure to falls, as well as sports injuries, and trauma that is caused by exposure to a collision with cars or motorcycles. He must move his arm, and the condition must be quickly diagnosed and treated, in order to avoid any complications resulting from this fracture. Removing from its place, in order to restore the broken bones, with the implantation of plates, screws, and rods to stabilize the bone.
Pain and swelling
The person with a broken collarbone suffers from a number of symptoms, and it begins with his feeling of pain, which increases if he tries to move his shoulder, and the fracture area shows traces of bruising, and swelling may have occurred in it, or in the shoulder, or close to it. The pain is severe in some cases, especially when touched, and the injured person sometimes suffers from shortness of breath, and when trying to move the shoulder and press on it, a sound such as crackling, grinding, or creaking is heard. Moves his shoulder, which is known as stiffness or stiffness, and if newborns suffer a clavicle fracture due to childbirth, they are often unable to move the arm for several days. Moving the shoulder, going to the doctor, because delaying diagnosis and treatment results in poor bone healing.
Blood vessels
A clavicle fracture sometimes leads to a number of complications, although many injuries heal without any problems.
These complications include damage to blood vessels or nerves due to the rough ends of the broken clavicle, so it must be Obtain immediate medical assistance in cases where the injured person feels numbness or coldness in the arm or hand after the fracture. Severe cases can take a longer time to fully recover, and may not heal completely, and the bones sometimes heal incorrectly, and this leads to shortening of the bone.
Osteoarthritis
The fusion of the bones results in the formation of a bone mass, and it is considered part of the healing process. Complications of this fracture Increase the risk of arthritis, or osteoarthritis, as this fracture includes the joints that connect the clavicle, shoulder blade, or breastbone.
The risk of infection increases, if part of the broken bone emerges through the skin; It is more exposed to germs, and therefore prompt treatment is very important.
Collision accidents
Falling is one of the main causes of clavicle fracture, especially if it is on the shoulder or the hand while it is extended, and in many cases it is the result of practicing a sport. Where he is subjected to receiving a direct blow to the shoulder.
The fracture may be the result of a collision, such as a car, motorcycle or bicycle accident, and in some cases this fracture occurs during the birth process. Of the fractures are children and adolescents, because the clavicle does not become fully solid before the age of 20 years, and therefore the risk decreases after this age, and the risk of clavicle fracture increases in the elderly, because their bone strength is less.
Household Procedures
Diagnosis of a clavicle fracture is based on a doctor's physical examination of the area in which the victim feels pain, is swollen, or has an open wound. The size of the clavicle fracture is determined using X-rays, it also determines its location, and whether there is joint injury or not? It is possible that the doctor recommends a CT scan in order to obtain a more detailed picture.
It is advised to follow some home procedures, which may have helped control pain and swelling, such as putting ice on the affected area, from 20 minutes to half an hour, after The occurrence of the fracture, and for a period of two or 3 days.
arm sling
Treatment of this fracture begins with restricting the movement of any broken bones, because this matter is important until it heals, and the doctor may resort to making the injured person wear an arm sling, until the broken collarbone is fixed.
This fracture usually takes time to heal. In children, a period ranging from 3 to 6 weeks, and in adults, it ranges from 6 to 12 weeks. pain, and the infant should be handled with care. The doctor may recommend taking over-the-counter pain relievers, in order to reduce pain and inflammation, and in cases that complain of severe pain, the doctor may prescribe a drug containing a narcotic that he takes for several days.
Surgical intervention
Shortly after the initial treatment, the patient should begin rehabilitative treatment, with the aim of avoiding shoulder stiffness, while he is wearing a sling. After taking off the sling, the doctor may recommend some additional exercises, which work to restore muscle strength, joint movement and flexibility. It broke into several parts.
This surgery includes the placement of fixation devices, such as plates, screws, and rods, which maintain the correct position of the bones during healing. The complications of surgical intervention are very few, and include infection or non-union of the bones.
Nails and staples
The surgeon restores the broken ends of the bones to their normal position, and then fixes them using pins and metal strips. In most cases, they are left in the bones, and they remain only after the fracture is fully healed, and they cause any irritation or inflammation.
It is also possible Installing staples to fix the fracture, and it requires a smaller incision in the skin, but it often leads to skin irritation in the places where the staples are inserted, and they are removed as soon as the fracture heals.
Some people suffer complications during and after surgery, especially those with diabetes, the elderly and smokers , which includes, in addition to the difficulty of bone healing, lung injury and irritation as a result of devices.
Flexible tanning
The researchers point out that there is a newer and less invasive method, as it does not cause many complications and has no side effects like surgery, and it is known as intramedullary flexible clavicle nailing. in adolescents and athletes; Because it speeds up recovery, and therefore, the athlete quickly returns to practicing his sport.
This procedure is performed using a fluoroscope, in which the surgeon makes a small incision in the skin about 1 centimeter long, close to the sternoclavicular joint.
He drills a hole in the skin. The frontal cortex, and then installs a flexible nail in the spinal canal of the clavicle, and passes the nail to reach the fracture site, and within 3 months the patient undergoes another operation to remove the nail.