To get collar bone plated or not?

[no skid marks]

It's not just my colar bone as mentioned. Well it's just the collar bone to be plated, but with both bones broken there's nothing holding shoulder in place.
However, my collar bone seems to be in line, with the snapped bit sitting maybe 1cm max above the other bit. So I'm guessing it's length is good, just maybe not the straightest. I'll try load the X ray, as I'm desperate to have a better look. I don't think it's a clean break, but more diagonal across bone helping bone sit in place.
I'll try find another specialist now.

[jonKranked]

if its properly aligned with no separation or overlap, then immobilization is the best bet, especially given that it would need to be immobilized anyways due to the scapula break.

[boomerbaird]

Hey check out cancellara's break and fix.... $1000 for surgery is efffinng cheap!!!!!!!! Had a buddy in denver quoted a plating at $10,000. Of course this is the USA, USA, USA! Removable metal is the wave of the future, from the past, they are finding that it helps to remove that crap down the road after everything is healed and the muscles are strong enough around the problem area.

http://www.bikerumor.com/2012/04/04/...en-collarbone/

[jonKranked]

boomer - actually there's a push in the medical field to expand the use of resorbable biosynthetic polymers in place of metals for implantables (like internal fixation devices like bone plates), which eliminates the need for removal after they are implanted.

and regarding the use of bone plates, unless there's a clear medical need (not sure that exists in this case) these kinds of operations are generally aren't recommended.

[ustemuf]

i just went through this.. broke my clavicle last september. got surgery and i was already hucking 50ft gaps in november. definately get the surgery if the doctor is giving you the option. you will recover much faster.

i have really good health insurance so it was only a $5 option for me

broken:


repaired:


i decided to keep the plate in as well, doesnt bother me much at all and it's stronger with it in. if it breaks, i'd get surgery again anyways so it makes no difference.

[jonKranked]

i just went through this.. broke my clavicle last september. got surgery and i was already hucking 50ft gaps in november. definately get the surgery if the doctor is giving you the option. you will recover much faster.

speed of recovery is a moot point here since there's a scapula break as well.

[ustemuf]

speed of recovery is a moot point here since there's a scapula break as well.

i read the thread title and posted a reply without reading cause im lazy.

to re-state my advice: get the plate if you have more than 25mm of separation in your bone.. otherwise just let it heal naturally.

[RUFUS]

Unnecessary surgery is unnecessary!

[no skid marks]

Here's the pics.

[landcruiser]

Scapula break aside, that collar bone break looks pretty good (i wouldn't plate it if it was the only thing broken). But stop listening to us. Go talk to some real doctors!

My before and after pics for comparison:





The last week or so, I've been having pain at the innermost end of the plate. Not entirely sure why, but it's not been fun.

[DirtMcGirk]

I've got plates in both collar bones from an unplanned dismount.

It sucks. They hurt all the damn time, and when I eat the ground, I really worry that they've blown out on the ends.

If I bust them again, I am getting the Lance Armstrong CF collar bone.

[RUFUS]

That collarbone break does not need a plate unless you do something else to it to make it worse. You will have a hump due to the bone sticking up a bit, and due to the growth of new bone around the break, but I would not plate it if I were a doctor or you.

This coming from someone that has broken 181 bones and countless "useless" surgeries.

[no skid marks]

That collarbone break does not need a plate unless you do something else to it to make it worse. You will have a hump due to the bone sticking up a bit, and due to the growth of new bone around the break, but I would not plate it if I were a doctor or you.

This coming from someone that has broken 181 bones and countless "useless" surgeries.

Read this http://web.jbjs.org.uk/content/74-B/3/362.full.pdf then tell me what you think.

[H8R]

Broke mine, it was shattered into 5 pieces. Healed fine. Little lumpy, but fine.

My buddy broke his. Clean break, right in the middle. Doctor told him it would heal fine on it's own. It didn't, and 6 weeks later he's in surgery getting bone harvested from his femur to patch the collar bone together.


Moral of the story? Get a second opinion, and after a couple weeks, GO IN TO HAVE IT DOUBLE/TRIPLE CHECKED.

[norbar]

I have a snapped collar bone, and snapped shoulder blade. Shoulder blade is from one side to the other in two. Collar bone in two also, but seems to be holding itself in position. I was a bit worried hospital hadn't given me enough info, and feedback, as they just gave me a sling and sent me on my way with no handy advice or anything. I was a bit worried as I'm guessing it's sorta serious, and I can't move my arm hardly, so I went and saw a specialist. They said due to the fact both are snapped, my shoulder is not really held in place by anything, and I should get collar bone plated. This operation is booked for thursday. If I hit my collar bone with plate in, it'll snap easier either side of plate. I can get plate removed in a year, but collar bone will be weak until screw holes fill. I really felt the surgeon was drumming up business, and have been advised by a mate to avoid collar bone surgery as his nerves were damaged from it. I already have dodgy nerves on this side from 4 broken arms. Surgery will also cost $1000, and nearly as much to remove plate, not that this is much of a concern. Anyone got any advice for me. Remember, my shoulder seems to be in position, but I'll check in mirror, and feel my collar bone tonight before shower.
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Wow 1k$ ? That's really cheap. I live in a cheap country and it was 2500$. It is also strange that they say your shoulder will be weaker, my said it is stronger after plating and I have no intention of removing it. Sometimes my arm feels funny but surgeries are not the healthiest things you can do to your body.

Double check your surgeon skills. With top doctors there should be no damage. I was feeling fine 2 days after the surgery, now I'm riding snowboard and dirt jump, the weather still doesn't allow for dh riding but I crashed enough times on my board. In some cases going without the surgery may severely weaken your bone and/or reduce mobility. It all depends how your bones align. If there is overlap there will be a lump on the bone and it will can mean what I mentioned above but I had my collarbone broken in 4 places.

The 3 doctors are a good idea. Try to find SPORTS doctors as in my experience they think very different from regular ones. They want you back to full recovery asap, not some recovery sometime in the future.


btw. If we are at posting photos:

Sorry for crappy quality the first one was from a ****ty mountain clinic. Almost killed a doctor there, waited 6h for a visit.



nsfw for surgery photos

NSFW: show