Clavicle Error - Broken Collarbone

I wish I had internal stitches! The bone didn't break the skin, but there was a big space between the 2 parts. I was pretty surprised when I saw the size of the incision, had been expecting something much cleaner and smaller. Maybe it's just the over-enthusiastic French surgeons.

Staples, why are they used over stitches? Less time consuming?

FML

Looks painful. Hope you haven't fallen off again.

Yes one of the pins has snapped, along with my collar bone.

No such excitement as crashing, this happened Friday evening when I reached for the TV remote.

Was hoping to be put back in surgery after attending a fracture clinic appointment this afternoon (which I've been waiting for since Friday due to BH), instead I've been referred to another Dr, next Wednesday... The Dr I saw today was on about just leaving it to heal and removing the plate at a later date (!) I'm worried that by this time next week the bone will have fused and it will be too late to re-plate...

I wish someone had warned me.

Hopefully they'll get it sorted, otherwise I'm going to have a pretty bent clavicle.

The Dr I saw today said he was concerned about infection control opening up a recent wound. The way I see it, I need further surgery, either to correct the plate or remove it and set the bone. I think I'd rather they corrected the plate, and gave me advice on how best to recover (didn't get any of this from the French Docs). I'll report back after my appointment next week.

oh crap never realised this happened. hope you heal up soon mate

The clavicle is the last bone in the human body to stop growing and will do so until the age of 28

Interesting eh?

Yes, I think so. I did not know that.

CowHen, where's your pics?

It is on it's way to being healed, I saw a Dr who seemed to know his stuff, and he suggested although it's a bit of a mess and the bone won't be straight, it could heal faster with the bone moving about, said it might accelerate the healing process.... Feels much better, xray last week showed it has taken form and joined up ,only real discomfort is coming from the plate and the sharp (doctor says they don't even look like screws, more like male - male bolts that they've screwed nuts onto and cut...) screws... 4-5 weeks should be full strength, then we can look at getting the metal work out. Been out on my bike taking it steady and it's been fine.

Thanks for asking.

I can wiggle half the plate up and down under my skin, makes a clicking sound.... hurts though.

(:

CowHen, where's your pics?

Saw him the other day, arm in a sling and a clean snap but he said he's out until july atleast, shame.

It is on it's way to being healed, I saw a Dr who seemed to know his stuff, and he suggested although it's a bit of a mess and the bone won't be straight, it could heal faster with the bone moving about, said it might accelerate the healing process.... Feels much better, xray last week showed it has taken form and joined up ,only real discomfort is coming from the plate and the sharp (doctor says they don't even look like screws, more like male - male bolts that they've screwed nuts onto and cut...) screws... 4-5 weeks should be full strength, then we can look at getting the metal work out. Been out on my bike taking it steady and it's been fine.

Thanks for asking.

Obviously they can't just go filing them down, but the world would be made a better place by some device that rounded the ends of k wires and screws after they had been cut to lenght in situ - I fucked up my hand, and I had a great surgeon, but the sharp end of the screw head and k-wire really limited my range of motion. Looking at the x-rays, the ends had just been cut with side cutters. I imagine if some kind of press tool existed that crimped a nice round ball onto the end without leaving swarf etc. had been used, I would have a lot more movement now.

So it's not my clavicle but thought this was a fitting place. Had an over the bars mountain biking last night and as a result came away with a radial head fracture.

Don't have much details other than that the doctor said it wasn't displaced, I got given a sling and told to make an appointment with the fracture clinic for a weeks time.

Anyone done this to themselves? Know anything about the healing time etc?

A sling for your head?!

Haha no, the radial head is where the radius in your forearm connects to your elbow

A sling for your head?!

Haha no, the radial head is where the radius in your forearm connects to your elbow

I was also thinking this.

You live, you learn.

Oh, I've done that one. It was 3-4 weeks before I could ride properly again, but even then it still hurt. I carried on riding with just the one hand using my hoodie pocket as a sling.

Haha no, the radial head is where the radius in your forearm connects to your elbow

Ah right, I was thinking radial as in the maths term not the bone!

An easy mistake to make, now laughing at the thought of a sling for your head.

http://www.tienchiu.com/wp-content/gallery/thailand-akha/akha-head-carrier.jpg
This young lady doesn't find it so humorous.

Oh, I've done that one. It was 3-4 weeks before I could ride properly again, but even then it still hurt. I carried on riding with just the one hand using my hoodie pocket as a sling.

How is it now? Do you have full ROM in the elbow? What type of fracture was it?

The doctor said there was no displacement in my fracture, but I guess I'll have to wait until my appointment at the fracture clinic to find out more.

The radial head is a circular concave button which joins the humerus at the elbow in a swivel joint.
Fractures resemble breaks in a round cake. Some are depressed. Healing takes 3-6 weeks and some need surgery. Never straighten elbow against resistance with this fractured,