broken clavicle...surgery or not?

[ocean123]

Wow, your pain sounds intense. I would recommend getting a second opinion and MAKE SURE that any orthopaedist who touches you has a "Fellowship in Shoulder". If they did their specialization in foot bones or spine bones, that doesn't help you at all. Whoever holds a scapel to you, must be performing YOUR specific surgery several times weekly or daily. You don't want to be their first! Interview as many surgeons as you need to (it's your dime, after all) and get third, fourth opinions, as many as it takes, until you find the person/team that feels right. Don't let anyone cut you, until you know it's the right person. I don't know how easy this is, maybe you live in a small town or something, if so, do your homework for a big city surgeon and fly out there for your surgery. If this sounds extreme, just remember what's at stake. This surgery is great when it works, and crippling when it doesn't, so stack everything in your favor that you can. Good luck to you.

Hi guys and Gals,

My names Joe and i am in need of some really good advice about an operation i am supposed to be having on my left clavicle.

Basicly about 3 years ago i realised my left clavice wasnt the same as my right and my left shoulder just didnt have the same amount of easy movement as my right and also has a clicking noise / restriction when the abduction movement is performed. After going to the doctors and a shoulder speciasist and having x-rays and MIR scans etc. The conclusion was made that i had a twisted clavicle.

So the end of my left clavice is rotated round about 90 degrees compared to my right clavice. This is limits my shoulder movement, not totally, but the pain sometimes is unbearable.

The specialist i saw recomended surgery simmillar to the surgery that you would get after breaking your clavicle, except mine has never been broken. (the doctors think that i have done this when i was a youngster and my bones were still soft and not fully developed) This surgery would involve what you guys talk of, having my clavicle broken and the a plate put in to set it in the right position.

I am 21, very active, and enjoy my sports. Especially wakeboarding and kitesurfing, unfortunatley these both take a toll on my shoulder.

I am really unsure of the surgery, a big part of me wants to get it done and on the days i have pain its all i want to have done. But another part of me dosent think its worth the risk and am i right in thinking i may never be able to use my shoulder to its full strength if something goes wrong.

So.... i really could do with some advice from people who have had this surgery, and weather or not it sworth going through with etc...

I have read alot of this thread and it has already give me some reasurance that getting the surgery would be ok and my shoulder would improve alot from having it. But theres this voice in my head thats a little unsure, also my mother and other family members dont think i should have it done.

Lately though and as im sat here typing its really hurting and i would love to get it sorted out.

I would really appreciate poeple thoughts on the whole situation as i am strugling to find other people wiht simmillar problems.

What i would really like to know is how strong my shoulder is going to be after having surgery and its healed???

Also i have meet two guys who have had this surgery after breaking there clavicle and both of them, the pins holding the plate on had slipped out of place. I dont know but would guess that they never really gave it time to heal properly and went back to normal life after having it done.

Thanks for reading, if you got this far, and i hope someone can help,

Joe

 

[joewaroo]

Wow, your pain sounds intense. I would recommend getting a second opinion and MAKE SURE that any orthopaedist who touches you has a "Fellowship in Shoulder". If they did their specialization in foot bones or spine bones, that doesn't help you at all. Whoever holds a scapel to you, must be performing YOUR specific surgery several times weekly or daily. You don't want to be their first! Interview as many surgeons as you need to (it's your dime, after all) and get third, fourth opinions, as many as it takes, until you find the person/team that feels right. Don't let anyone cut you, until you know it's the right person. I don't know how easy this is, maybe you live in a small town or something, if so, do your homework for a big city surgeon and fly out there for your surgery. If this sounds extreme, just remember what's at stake. This surgery is great when it works, and crippling when it doesn't, so stack everything in your favor that you can. Good luck to you.

Yeh it certainly can be. Thanks for the advice, but living in a small town i saw my local doctors who recomended me to an otherpedic surgeon, who then recomended me to a shoulder specialist in a big city, he seemed confident about what he could do etc. but hes a doctor after all. (confidence is what they do well). He has also performed the surgery before on people who have broke the clavicle etc. and he thinks that surgery is the correct procedure and because of my age etc i will recover well from it.

After reading this forum post it has swayed my desicion to serioulsy considering getting the surgery, as before i was thinking "no way". Well originally i wanted to get it done, but then thinking about it and talkin to my family and freinds i decided no. But lately it has been aching like crazy.

Its just that 60% of the time it dosent bother me, but when it hurts its really hurts and makes things awkward to do. You can push through the pain etc if you really wanna do something, but i dont know if thats the answer anymore. And not getting it sorted, could things lead to arthrietes. I also get alot of neck pain, that seems to stem from my shoulder not being supported enough. Sometimes i wonder if alot of it is physcological, from finding out what is wrong, as i have always know something was different about my shoulders, just that in the last few yearas i have really discovered the problem.

Sorry about the legnth of my posts, i just have a lot to say, with little people in the same situation to say it to.

Thanks again,
Joe

 

[MtnLvnSweetpea]

I am six weeks out of my mtn bike accident. The ramp on the log jump gave way under me and I went endo and ate dirt going about 23 mph. I broke my clavicle and have the bone shard stickin up almost out of my skin. I also fx'd my nose and have a good concussion (dizziness and loss of short term memory). The first 3 weeks were absolutely miserable! I was so upset bc the first ortho doc said no surgery, put me in a sling and said "heal". Well, I went back two days later and all they wanted to do was give me more meds, so I saw a 2nd opinion ortho doc. He is much better as far as personality and at week 3 had put me into the figure 8 brace...it was so much relief to be pulled back into somewhat of a normal collar bone position. Anyhow, bone shard still is shifting, having occasional sharp pain, etc... basically aggravatin the hell out of me. He told me I was in the gray area...could have surgery or not...blah blah...but wouldn't say..you need it or you don't need it...like this is my specialty or something? Anyhow, so I haven't had surgery yet and like I said am 6 weeks out and really think it might just be better to get surgery. I am a woman and really didn't want a 5-6 inch scar, doc said the screws would stick out and be noticeable since I am slender, but hey they will take those out later...and at this point...I am thinking a scar would be worth it. I liked the earlier post from the guy who said, "They lied, chicks don't dig scars" ...haha! hope that doesn't apply to women with scars! Anyways...any help deciding to have surgery or not at the 6-7 week time frame would be helpful bc I need to make a decision soon on surgery!

 

[jetnjeff]

From what I understand if the skin is not broken they are hesitant to operate due to the risk of infection. But with broken skin and your bone in more than one piece, it wouls seem to me that they should have operated right away. But now this far i your skin has probably healed and they would go back to it is now more risky to operate. There are different proceedures mentioned on this thread that make a smaller scar and are less invasive. But you will have to read them all like me to find them as I can not recall the details.

3 weeks before you got a Figure 8 brace? That should be the first course of action.

Bone stimulator seemed to help my 42 year old bone heal abit faster.

Good luck!

I am six weeks out of my mtn bike accident. The ramp on the log jump gave way under me and I went endo and ate dirt going about 23 mph. I broke my clavicle and have the bone shard stickin up almost out of my skin. I also fx'd my nose and have a good concussion (dizziness and loss of short term memory). The first 3 weeks were absolutely miserable! I was so upset bc the first ortho doc said no surgery, put me in a sling and said "heal". Well, I went back two days later and all they wanted to do was give me more meds, so I saw a 2nd opinion ortho doc. He is much better as far as personality and at week 3 had put me into the figure 8 brace...it was so much relief to be pulled back into somewhat of a normal collar bone position. Anyhow, bone shard still is shifting, having occasional sharp pain, etc... basically aggravatin the hell out of me. He told me I was in the gray area...could have surgery or not...blah blah...but wouldn't say..you need it or you don't need it...like this is my specialty or something? Anyhow, so I haven't had surgery yet and like I said am 6 weeks out and really think it might just be better to get surgery. I am a woman and really didn't want a 5-6 inch scar, doc said the screws would stick out and be noticeable since I am slender, but hey they will take those out later...and at this point...I am thinking a scar would be worth it. I liked the earlier post from the guy who said, "They lied, chicks don't dig scars" ...haha! hope that doesn't apply to women with scars! Anyways...any help deciding to have surgery or not at the 6-7 week time frame would be helpful bc I need to make a decision soon on surgery!

 

[Garden Girl]

(Am I being selfish in the way I'm looking at this?) We have not yet told anyone about the pregnancy, hence my unburdening this rather lengthy explanation on you all - I really need to hear your thoughts, comments, experiences please... thanks[/QUOTE]
Hi! I think that right now you need to put the wonderful gift God has blessed you with, the new life which grows within as your first priority. I myself have experenced two unplanned pregnacies and have never regreted placing them first at the time. Maybe right now is a time to take a good look at your life and see if there are things that need to change.

As for your broken clavical. Only you can make the right decision on that. Some people have had great results from surgery but so have others by not having surgery. From what I understand, surgery is something that can be performed at anytime near or in the future. That was one of many reasons why i opted to wait. It has been the right decision for me so far. I have had it unbeleivably easy with my broken clavial. You can read my story and updates on earlier pages-18 and following. I'm doing great even though the bone is not yet joined and not totally lined up. I have 100% mobility without pain and 85+% of my strength back. Ocassionally I experience aching when I overdo it, like a few weeks ago when I spent a week canoe tripping where I swam entire lengths of lakes, paddled every day and carried packs and a 75lb canoe on my shoulders during portages. Get more than one doc's opinoion. I'll be praying for you.

 

[Mithrelios]

hi folks,
i was reading this forum thread like four weeks ago when i broke my clavicle and elbow, from an unlucky fall. I was unlucky but so unlucky afterall because i was wearing my helmet and it protected me from much more serious injury.

i'm a 22 years old guy from turkey, just started cycling but was into other sports. i guess my physical condition can be described as "above avarage" but not that far above for my age. the fracture of my clavicle was in the distal third part of it therefore 4 orthos said "surgery" just after sending a glance to my xray. 1 week of my crash after, they took me to surgery and altough everybody and everything that i read said that broken clavicle is a really painful thing, that one week there was really no pain and even i was able to move my shoulder.

anyway they took me into surgery and planted 2 k-wires to my clavicle with tips going out of my skin. that was a very bad sight but they said, this way after healing occurs we will be able to draw out wires much more easily. i stayed in the hospital for 1 night because of the general aneasthesia procedures and even after surgery there was only a little pain.

next day i was at home, my arm was in that hard white thing, that i dont know the english word for it, because of my small elbow fracture, and they put me in a sling for the shoulder. even agitated by my wires that goes through the skin, first 2 weeks was very confortable. after day 3 i was wearing my sling only if i feel tired.

3rd week after surgery i started to feel some morning stiffness and pain, i guess due to my increased mobility and my abuse of it.

3 weeks after surgery and 4 weeks after my fall, my surgeon checked my xray and decided to pull out k-wires and also reported that my elbow is ok to be free. k-wire pull out was very easy i even didnt feel it.

now 2 days have passed and i m trying to recover my range of motion. for my shoulder motion range is almost %85 back already. but i guess(from my past shoulder injury) i will need like at least 4-5 months to recover my all strenght back.

as final words and advise,
1) k-wires are really strange and i suggest that if you will have your options to choose between plate&screws and k wires, choose plate&screws. this way they will stay till full calsification can occur and you will be much more comfortable without steel rods getting out of your shoulder tip.

2) for distal end fractures of the clavicle, surgery is highly recommended because non-union rates are very high. i m happy that i had one because my healing is way much faster. 3 weeks after surgery and my shoulder is back

3) LAST BUT DEFINETLY NOT LEAST, ALWAYS WEAR YOUR HELMET WHİLE YOU RIDE. I wast going downhill, i wasnt trying to jump or do other bike tricks, i was just riding back home after a light cross country ride and had an unlucky crash. if i wasnt wearing my helmet, i could have been died or injured seriously.

 

[BMXhuddy]

Hi all,


Thanks for the thread!! Three weeks ago I broke my Clavicle and 8 ribs in a BMX accident. Clavicle bad enough for the ortho to recommend surgery. I had to wait for 3 weeks due to a hemothorax (blood on my lung). By the way, the fall was far less impressive than the injury. Anyway, I am a 40 yr old healthy male and have been put on 2 Tyenol and 400mg Advil for every 5 hours or so, and was told to take 2 mg hydromorphone if the pain got too bad. I have instead been taking the tylenol and advil as prescribed but taking it with 10 mg of long lasting morphine in the morning and evening. It is 2 days after surgery and I would say that the pain level is about a 5 or 6 given that the day of the accident it was about a 9. It may be a stupid question, but is this level of pain normal and how long has it taken others for the immediate pain to subside. Right now I describe the pain as more throbing with the occasional sharp pinching pain. Any opinion is greatly appreciated. Upon my healing I will provide a full synopsis of my injury and recovery to hopefully help others with concerns over this injury and the surgery.

 

[jetnjeff]

Some people get a lot of pain and others not. Depends on how and where the bone broke and the individuals pain threshold. I stayed off of pain killers due to lack of pain and wanting to know when I was starting to hurt (if I moved the wrong way for example), to prevent more damage.

Hi all,


Thanks for the thread!! Three weeks ago I broke my Clavicle and 8 ribs in a BMX accident. Clavicle bad enough for the ortho to recommend surgery. I had to wait for 3 weeks due to a hemothorax (blood on my lung). By the way, the fall was far less impressive than the injury. Anyway, I am a 40 yr old healthy male and have been put on 2 Tyenol and 400mg Advil for every 5 hours or so, and was told to take 2 mg hydromorphone if the pain got too bad. I have instead been taking the tylenol and advil as prescribed but taking it with 10 mg of long lasting morphine in the morning and evening. It is 2 days after surgery and I would say that the pain level is about a 5 or 6 given that the day of the accident it was about a 9. It may be a stupid question, but is this level of pain normal and how long has it taken others for the immediate pain to subside. Right now I describe the pain as more throbing with the occasional sharp pinching pain. Any opinion is greatly appreciated. Upon my healing I will provide a full synopsis of my injury and recovery to hopefully help others with concerns over this injury and the surgery.

 

[BMXhuddy]

Hi again guys and gals,

I am now 5 days post op (clavicle plate) and am off major pain meds except an occassional tylenol and advil. I started to notice today a major stiffness /pain or discomfort in my neck towards the clavicle. The muscle along the side of my neck is definitely visibly tight....Does it seem reasonable to suspect that since my surgery was 3 weeks after the break that the neck muscle that attaches to my clavicle shortened over the past three weeks while the break was still there and now its painful as it stretches back.... or is ther a possibility that the surgeon screwed up somehow? And advice is again appreciated.

Simon

 

[gplama]

Hi again guys and gals,

I am now 5 days post op (clavicle plate) and am off major pain meds except an occassional tylenol and advil. I started to notice today a major stiffness /pain or discomfort in my neck towards the clavicle. The muscle along the side of my neck is definitely visibly tight....Does it seem reasonable to suspect that since my surgery was 3 weeks after the break that the neck muscle that attaches to my clavicle shortened over the past three weeks while the break was still there and now its painful as it stretches back.... or is ther a possibility that the surgeon screwed up somehow? And advice is again appreciated.

Simon

I had a neck muscle that ran over the top of the section that was broken that was tight for a few weeks post op. It caused a pinch/sting on just below the shoulder muscle when I stretched or moved in a particular way. It was sticking up just as you mention and was very tight. I brought this up with my surgeon at my 6 week review and he mentioned that this was normal after a procedure like mine. Around week 8-10 it seemed to disappear and is back to normal now, no additional stretching or physio - just lots of bike riding

Anyhow - you best seek the advice of your surgeon/physio for a professional opinion.

cheers,
lama

 

[BMXhuddy]

Hi guys,

I am heading in to see my surgeon on Wednesday and just wanted to get some feedback and opinions. First of all, now 5 days post op, and the shoulder is quite stiff... still a little sore, but I'm totally off the pain meds now. How long have others experienced stiffness and to what level, and secondly, are there any specific questions I should ask my surgeon on my follow up visit?

Thanks again in advance.

Simon

 

[midori1]

I broke my left clavicle (distal third) 17 days ago. Like many on this site, I am getting different opinions from 2 different Orthopedic Surgeons. One says I will heal without surgery, the other says I only have a 70% chance of healing without surgery. I have decided against surgery! In the meantime, I am getting a burning sensation in the area of the break. Vicodin doesn’t take away the burn. The only relief I seem to get is when I ice the area. How long did others ice the area? Should I stop icing and just put up with the pain. Thanks.

 

[midori1]

I should add that I do not have any infection around the break and skin so infection is not causing the burn.

 

[BMXhuddy]

Hi all,

Day 8 after surgery and the pain seems to be increasing. I have been working, though mostly with my arm in a sling to prevent being bumped. Has anyone had the pain increase over time? I saw my surgeon today and he said everything looks ok though he didn't seem to care much or show an interest to my concerns or give any real advice. The sight of the incision is very tender to the touch and every once in a while a get a very sharp shooting pain in my shoulder.

ANYONE!?!?!?!?!

thanks

Simon

 

[tt1106]

Depends on how acitve you are. I have a friend who just had the surgery and a titanium plate installed last month. He built a playset and refuses to take it easy, so he's popping vicodin, like candy.
Even if it means a longer recovery, you should consider giving your body a little bit of a break and doing absolutely nothing fo a couple of days.

 

[SJP784]

Hello all, awesome thread. I wish I found it sooner.
I broke my clavicle, on Aug 31st. while parcticing at NHIS for a Loudon Road Race Series weekend of racing (motorcycles).
When I went down, it was a pretty good hit, there was more pain in my fingers than any where else. I was able to get up, run over to my bike, turn it off and get behind the concrete wall and sit down, a bit out of breath, but no big deal, so I thought. I was flexing my fingers when all of a sudden, pop, major pain in the shoulder.

I originally turned down the ambulance ride, but was now reqesting it. Trip to the ER where the took some x-rays, 2 Er doctors said it was a very bad fracture and although they are not orthpedic surgens they felt this one needed surgery.

It was a Holiday weekend and could not see a surgeon until Tuesday, the first Dr on Tues, looked at the x-rays, and I think before he looked at them he was planning to send me on my way, but as soon as he looked at them, he said hang on a minute and went to get another Dr. The 2nd Dr came in, took a look and recomended fixing it, although if I wished, it could be left alone.

Surgery was on that Thursday. Instead of doing a plate and screws, he did one long screw, down the length of the bone. I hope to get a copy of the after x-ray as I have seen no mention of this fix (although I have not read all 24 pages of this thread yet) and upload them to my site with the before x-rays also.

Friday after the surgery was a really bad day, Saturday much better, with improvement since (except today, its been pretty bad, not sure why, not really to painful, but very annoying)

I have several questions for the Dr when I see himin 2 weeks, like, If the screw is left in and I break the bone again, is the screw going to break or bend ? If its bent, how do you go about getting it out when its bent ?


Steve

 

[gasykes]

Hi everyone, like all of you I sure am glad I bumped on to this site. 3 weeks ago i fractured my right clavicle, in a race, pretty bad i got part of my clavicle sticking out under the skin. I was rushed to a hospital here in London, and had a couple of x-rays, the DR who saw me decided to opt for the "sling" and to keep monitoring the fracture.

Reading about the many experiences here, I'm pretty worried that my fracture may end up a non-union or a pretty bad mal-union, coz i am able to slip my index finger between the fracture. I have my next x-ray on the 29th oct and I'm really considering asking the DR to take the surgery option, coz im worried if it healed i'll still have a pointy bone sticking out. Can anyone offer any advice and has anyone had a similar experience with the NHS.

Also, I work as an IT Consultant so I am able to sit a computer, if i have the surgery, how long will it be before i can get back to work . Many thanks....

 

[santanaf]

I am in IT also (a C# developer), and I was back at work about 10 days after surgery. But luckily (unluckily) I had a vacation to the Bahamas scheduled 3 days after surgery. I was fine for that trip, uncomfortable sometimes, but fine. I really could have gone back to work about 4 days post-op. If I hadn't had surgery, I would have been back to work within 6 days of the break.

Hi everyone, like all of you I sure am glad I bumped on to this site. 3 weeks ago i fractured my right clavicle, in a race, pretty bad i got part of my clavicle sticking out under the skin. I was rushed to a hospital here in London, and had a couple of x-rays, the DR who saw me decided to opt for the "sling" and to keep monitoring the fracture.

Reading about the many experiences here, I'm pretty worried that my fracture may end up a non-union or a pretty bad mal-union, coz i am able to slip my index finger between the fracture. I have my next x-ray on the 29th oct and I'm really considering asking the DR to take the surgery option, coz im worried if it healed i'll still have a pointy bone sticking out. Can anyone offer any advice and has anyone had a similar experience with the NHS.

Also, I work as an IT Consultant so I am able to sit a computer, if i have the surgery, how long will it be before i can get back to work . Many thanks....

 

[jetnjeff]

If you have had time to read through this whole thread, you may come to the same coclusion: Get a 2nd opinion very, very soon. Most Dr's seem go straight to surgery it breaks the skin. The longer you wait, the more likely they won't do surgery until 6 months after it does not heal. They will not want to go back in after the skin heals!

I did not get surgery. Mine was not a open fracture (did not break the skin). They did give me a figure 8 brace. Pretty common in the states. I healed up fine in 12 weeks, even with working at a Bicycle shop starting the same day I broke it. I am 43.

Hi everyone, like all of you I sure am glad I bumped on to this site. 3 weeks ago i fractured my right clavicle, in a race, pretty bad i got part of my clavicle sticking out under the skin. I was rushed to a hospital here in London, and had a couple of x-rays, the DR who saw me decided to opt for the "sling" and to keep monitoring the fracture.

Reading about the many experiences here, I'm pretty worried that my fracture may end up a non-union or a pretty bad mal-union, coz i am able to slip my index finger between the fracture. I have my next x-ray on the 29th oct and I'm really considering asking the DR to take the surgery option, coz im worried if it healed i'll still have a pointy bone sticking out. Can anyone offer any advice and has anyone had a similar experience with the NHS.

Also, I work as an IT Consultant so I am able to sit a computer, if i have the surgery, how long will it be before i can get back to work . Many thanks....

 

[batemanr3]

hi im 16 years of age and on sunday i broke my right clavicle in a motocross crash. i have a huge bump which is starting to get closer 2 my skin and my doctor says he will operate if it comes through the skin. This bump is causing me huge discomfort and i struggle getting up and out of chairs. I feel that the bump will come through the skin in the next week. If it does not would it be better me having the surgery anyway or would i be better off leaving it to heal

[email protected]