Assessment of the measurement methods in midshaft clavicle fracture

Abstract

Abstract Background Clavicle fractures account for approximately 5% of all fractures in adults and 75% of clavicle fractures occur in the midshaft. Shortening greater than two centimeters is an indicative of surgical treatment. Radiographic exams are often used to diagnose and evaluate clavicle fractures but computed tomography (CT) scan is currently considered the best method to assess these deformities and shortening. Goal 1- To investigate whether different methods of performing the radiographic exam interfere on the measurement of the fractured clavicle length. 2- Compare the clavicle length measurements obtained by the different radiographic exam methods with the CT scan measurements, used as a reference. Materials and methods Twenty-five patients with acute ( 0,05). Conclusion 1- There is no significant statistical difference in the clavicle fracture length measurement among the variety of radiographic exam performances. 2- The method that comes closest to computed tomography results is the PA thorax incidence, with the patient in the lying position.

Keywords

• Clavicle
• Bone fractures
• Radiography
• Methods