Anteroinferior 2.7-mm versus 3.5-mm plating for AO/OTA type B clavicle fractures: a comparative cohort clinical outcomes study.

Publication/Presentation Date

3-1-2013

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To compare the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and Constant scores, time to union, rate of union, patient cosmetic satisfaction rate, and the need for secondary procedures between 2.7- and 3.5-mm anteroinferior plating for Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Osteosynthesefragen (AO)/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) type B clavicle fractures.

DESIGN: Retrospective, comparative cohort clinical outcomes study.

SETTING: Level I university trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPATION: Thirty-seven patients with an AO/OTA type B clavicle fracture who underwent open reduction internal fixation with either a 2.7- or 3.5-mm reconstruction plate placed in the anterior-inferior position. The main outcome comparisons included DASH score, Constant score, time to union, rate of union, rate of hardware failure, cosmetic satisfaction, and secondary procedure.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: DASH score, constant score, time to union, rate of union, cosmetic satisfaction, secondary procedure.

RESULTS: At 1-year follow-up, analysis yielded no significant differences in DASH scores (P = 0.26) and Constant Shoulder scores (P = 0.79) between the 2 cohorts. There were no statistically significant differences in the time to union (P = 0.86) and the rate of union (P = 0.49). Although the 2.7-mm cohort had a lower reoperation rate, it was not statistically significant (P = 0.11). However, the 2.7-mm cohort did demonstrate a significantly higher rate of cosmetically acceptable reconstruction (P = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: Compared with 3.5-mm anterior-inferior plating, 2.7-mm anteroinferior plating for AO/OTA type B clavicle fractures leads to significantly higher rates of cosmetic acceptability while reducing the need for a secondary procedure and achieving excellent clinical outcomes as measured by the DASH and Constant scores. There were no differences between the 2.7 and 3.5 cohorts in time to union or in union rate.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Volume

27

Issue

3

First Page

121

Last Page

125

ISSN

1531-2291

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

22810550

Department(s)

Department of Surgery

Document Type

Article

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