The Floating Shoulder: Treatment of 25 Patients

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of the report is to evaluate the results from the treatment of ipsilateral clavicular and scapular neck fractures.

Method: 17 males and 8 females were followed-up for 29 months. 13 of the scapular necks fractures were displaced and 13 were non-displaced. 18 patients were treated non-operatively and 8 were treated with open reduction and internal fixation. 8 cases had surgical stabilization of the clavicle and 2 also of the scapular neck fractures. In 5 patients with displaced fractures, however, the operative treatment was impossible because of the polytrauma.

Results: In non-operatively treated cases without fracture displacement the mean score was 85 points (range, 42 to 100 points) and with significant fracture displacement it was 77 points (range, 48 to 88 points). In 7 patients (8 shoulders) with displaced fracture fragments treated surgically the mean score was 82 points (range, 52 to 100 points).

Conclusions: The conservative treatment showed good results in cases with non-displaced fractures, in fractures with fragment displacement the outcome was poorer. In cases with displaced fractures treated surgically we found similar results as in shoulders with non-displaced fractures treated conservatively.

Key words

Floating shoulder - treatment

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