Case Report

Successful Treatment of a 15-Year-Old Nonunion of a Midshaft Clavicle Fracture Causing Brachial Plexus Compression

Table 1

Overview cases with brachial plexopathy resulting from a nonunion hypertrophic clavicle fracture.

Date of publicationStudy sample(Delayed) time span/onset of symptomsTreatment strategyLaboratory dataPostoperative course

Our case report

Teunis et al.13 yrssurgical decompression + ORIFX-ray, MRIComplete recovery after 1 year

Available literature (full text)

Berkheiser [8]19373 months to 1 yearPlexus brachial involvement arose after the first operationX-rayFull recovery after a second operation

Storen [9]19463 yrsResection + metal sutureX-rayAfter 5 months a second operation, because of pain. New suture, after that full recovery in 14 months

Campbell et al. [6]19497 yrsRemoving of the callus and scar tissueX-rayComplete recovery after 4 weeks

Neviaser [10]19633 monthsResection of the middle part of the clavicleX-rayComplete recovery after 2 months

Miller and Boswick [11]19693, 4, 12, and 5 wkClaviculectomy, exploration, ORIF, explorationX-rayComplete recovery in 1 year, unknown, 6 months, and 4 months

Wilkins and Johnston [12]198312 and 14 wkResection of 1/3 of clavicle, ORIFUnknownPain when lying on the affected side, complete recovery

Kay and Eckardt [7]1986 3 wkORIFX-ray + EMGComplete recovery after 10 months

Connolly and Dehne [13]19898, 18, 8, and 4 monthsResection, resection, resection, pinningX-rayThe patient with pinning technique recovered completely, the other cases unknown

Derham et al. [14]20078 wkSurgical decompression + ORIFX-ray, MRI, EMGComplete recovery after 3 months

Thavarajah and Scadden [15]2013Directly after first procedure (8 months)ORIF first operation, surgical decompression second operationX-rayMRC grade 4/5 power from C5–T1

British Medical Research Council (MRC).