Precontoured plate fixation with interfragmentary lag screw use in a middle third clavicle fracture fixation.

Abstract

Middle third clavicle fractures are common injuries that need surgical fixation in a certain subset of patients. The use of pre-contoured clavicle plates facilitates intra-operative fixation and can reduce soft tissue irritation and hardware removal rates. Lag screw fixation is a well-established technique for the treatment of oblique fractures. Empirical application of this method in clavicle fracture fixation and clavicle non-union treatment has been reported previously. A recent biomechanical study supports the use of a lag screw technique in clavicle fracture fixation when possible. We report a 46 year old patient with a mid-shaft right clavicle fracture who was treated with this technique, which resulted in an excellent clinical outcome.