Dislocation Of The Acromial End Of The Clavicle

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle

Content:

• Clavicle dislocation symptoms
• Causes of dislocation of the clavicle
• Diagnosis of dislocation of the clavicle
• First aid for dislocation of the clavicle
• Conservative treatment of dislocated clavicle
• Surgical treatment of dislocation of the clavicle
• Complications of clavicle dislocation
• Rehabilitation

Dislocation of the clavicle (its acromial end) is often diagnosed in patients of different age categories. According to statistics, of all types of dislocations of the upper extremities, 5% falls on the acromial end of the clavicle.

Clavicle dislocation symptoms

With dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle, the patient has the following symptoms:

• strong pain in the forearm, which becomes unbearable with any movement with the hand next to the damaged collarbone;
• bulging of the clavicle (formed with complete dislocation);
• the appearance of the symptom "keys";
• extensive swelling in the area of damage;
• violation of the mobility of the hand located next to the injured collarbone;
• the formation of a hematoma at the site of the dislocation.

Causes of dislocation of the clavicle

In most cases, a dislocation of the clavicle (its acromial end) occurs as a result of mechanical action on this area:

• falling;
• blow;
• bruise, etc.

Sometimes patients are diagnosed with spontaneous dislocation of the clavicle (its acromial end), which occurs in connection with the anatomical features and / or concomitant diseases of a particular patient (severe obesity, fragility of bones, etc.). When falling from a height of his growth, in addition to dislocation of the clavicle, a person may tear the ligaments, the functions of which are to connect the scapula to the clavicle.

Diagnosis of dislocation of the clavicle

In a medical institution, a medical examination is carried out, during which, even visually, a doctor can determine the presence of a dislocation. During the examination, the doctor palpates the damaged area of the clavicle, where there is a protrusion of the bone characteristic of a dislocation.

To confirm the primary diagnosis, the specialist directs his patient to a hardware examination. Radiography allows you to identify the exact site of damage in order to prescribe constructive treatment to the patient. If the doctor has doubts about the accuracy of the diagnosis, he usually refers the patient to a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.

First aid for dislocation of the clavicle

After injury, the victim (who has all suspicions of dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle) must be immobilized. His injured upper limb must be fixed in suspension. For this, you can use a bandage, gauze, or any piece of cloth. Since with a dislocation of the clavicle, the patient always has severe swelling, it is advisable to apply a cold compress to the site of injury.

Dislocation of the clavicle is usually accompanied by a severe pain syndrome, therefore, it is advisable to give the victim anesthetic before the arrival of an ambulance (usually potent pain medications are given to people who have a low pain threshold). After relieving the pain, you cannot try to correct the dislocation on your own, since this can cause even more harm to the patient. It is best to wait for the arrival of an ambulance or independently transport the victim to the nearest medical facility.

Conservative treatment of dislocated clavicle

Dislocation of the clavicle is treated both surgically and conservatively. During conservative treatment, the surgeon must be extremely careful to correct the dislocation, and then fix the arm in the correct position with a plaster cast.

The process of reducing the dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle consists of several stages:

• anesthesia;
• laying a roll of gauze and cotton wool under the injured shoulder;
• tension of the injured upper limb;
• light pressure on the collarbone;
• fixation of the injured hand with a plaster bandage.

Surgical treatment of dislocation of the clavicle

In case of dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle, sometimes there is a need for surgical treatment, since reduction does not always bring the desired result.

Specialists carry out surgery, during which the dislocation is fixed using the following devices:

• special buttons (thanks to this technique, patients very quickly return to their usual way of life, however, they often have recurrences of dislocation of the clavicle);
• screws (this method allows you to reliably fix the dislocation, after which relapses rarely occur);
• knitting needles made of metal (the most common and not very effective method of surgical treatment for dislocation of the clavicle, but it is the most affordable, therefore it is often used).

The most effective surgical technique is plastic, thanks to which the mobility and functionality of the injured upper limb is very quickly restored in patients. During the operation, the surgeon creates artificial ligaments that are implanted in place of the damaged structures. After the operation, a plaster cast is applied to the injured limb, which fixes it in a certain position. The plaster must be worn for several months (usually at least 1.5 months).

Complications of clavicle dislocation

Various complications can occur during surgery:

• fracture of the clavicle as a result of too much physical impact;
• partial reduction of dislocation;
• large and unaesthetic scar;
• inflammation caused by an imported infection;
• strong pain in the area of the postoperative suture;
• the development of various diseases, in particular arthrosis of the acromioclavicular joint;
• the appearance of growths at the acromial end of the clavicle;
• limitation of mobility and functionality of the upper limb, etc.

Rehabilitation

During rehabilitation, patients with a diagnosis of dislocation of the clavicle are prescribed a course of physiotherapeutic procedures. Their main goal is to restore the functionality of the shoulder girdle. Specially designed exercises allow you to fully restore the motor functions of the injured upper limb.

In most cases, patients are prescribed:

• manual therapy course;
• massage (therapeutic);
• UHF therapy course;
• remedial gymnastics;
• At the end of the rehabilitation period, patients are advised to visit the swimming pool.

Author of the article: Kaplan Alexander Sergeevich | Orthopedist

Education: diploma in the specialty "General Medicine" received in 2009 at the Medical Academy. I. M. Sechenov. In 2012 completed postgraduate studies in Traumatology and Orthopedics at the City Clinical Hospital named after Botkin at the Department of Traumatology, Orthopedics and Disaster Surgery.