Operative Treatment of the Clavicular Midshaft Fractures in Adult - A Comparison between Intramedullary Multiple Steinmann Pins Fixation and Reconstruction Plate Fixation -

성인 쇄골 간부 골절의 수술적 치료-골수강내 다발성 Steinmann핀 고정술과 재구성 금속판 고정술과의 비교-

Purpose: Despite of the popular use of the reconstruction plate for the fixation of clavicular shaft fractures, some disadventages have been raised such as long period of immobilization, long skin incision, loosening of plate and screws, and increased chance of nonunion due to severe periosteal injury. Thus, the authors have performed intramedullary multiple Steinmann pins fixation that could reduce the disadvantages of plate fixation in order to compare the treatment results between the two groups. Materials & Methods: From 1994. Jan. to 1997. Dec. the department of orthopaedic surgery of the Kwak's hospital treated operatively for 56 cases of the clavicular shaft fractures in adult. 39 cases of them were treated with the plate fixation and 17 cases with the intramedullary multiple Steinmann pins fixation(SP group). Reconstruction plates(Plate group) were used for 26 out of 39 patients treated with plate fixation. Among the Plate group and SP group, each 15 cases were selected by age and sex and compared each other according to the bone union time, union rate, complication, and functional results. The follow-up period was 12 months at the shortest and 48 months at the longest and the average was 16 months. Results: The Plate group showed that the bone union time was 7 weeks and the bone union rate was 93%. The SP group showed 6.5 weeks and 100% respectively. In complication, the Plate group had 1 case of loosening of plate and screws and delayed union; SP group had 1 case of pin migration. The functional results according to Kang's criteria, 87% of the Plate group and 93% of the SP group showed good or excellent. Conclusion : The SP group showed very comparable results in terms of the bone union time, bone union rate, complication, and functional results comparing to the Plate group. The intramedullary multiple Steinmann pins fixation showed several advantages over the reconstruction plate fixation, which were simple operative technique, easy removal of pins, being able to perform immediate postoperative full range of motion exercise. Therefore, the intramedullary multiple Steinmann pins fixation is thought to be one of the useful operative techniques in treatment of the clavicular shaft fractures in adult.