Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

I might be stating the obvious, given the photos on this page, but it is probably worth pointing out that if you go down the surgical route you are basically signing up to two operations - the majority of people (two thirds of my surgeon's patients) who have surgical fixation have the plate and screws removed 9-12 months after the original op, mainly because there is so little meat between your clavicle and the outside world that the plate itself can cause irritation to the skin, particularly when wearing rucksacks/shoulder bags etc.

Hmm, obvious or not, this is interesting as I had no idea. One of the reasons I didn't push for surgery (when I was first seen by a doctor in London he told me "surgery is an option") was the feeling that I'd rather not have a metal plate in my body for the rest of my life. Had I known they take them out, I would have probably have tried to push the fracture clinic doc in that direction.

Interestingly, the doctor who told me surgery is an option in my case was German. The fracture clinic doc who later said "let's wait four weeks and see if it starts to heal correctly" (after two weeks of no movement) was British. An insight into the continental vs British approach, I suppose.