Case reports: concurrent bilateral nontraumatic fractures of the clavicle.

Abstract

The differential diagnosis of a fractured clavicle includes acute traumatic fracture, stress fracture, pathologic fracture secondary to radiation exposure, neoplasm, infection, or metabolic bone disease, and fracture-like conditions such as infection and bony dysplasias. An appropriate workup should identify most of these underlying conditions. We report a case of concurrent bilateral nontraumatic fractures of the clavicle occurring in a healthy young man in the absence of repetitive trauma. Workup revealed no underlying explanation for the fractures. To our knowledge, this has not been reported. Our case suggests the differential diagnosis of a fractured clavicle should be expanded to include idiopathic nontraumatic fractures.