CLAVICLE FRACTURES

Objective: To emphasize upon the frequency of fractures of clavicle due to indirect blunt trauma caused by road traffic accidents and falls from heights and their sequalae. Design: Observational descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital Bannu during a period of two years from June 2003 to May 2005. Patients and Methods: Patients included in the study were the trauma patients brought to Combined Military Hospital Bannu during a civil –military conflict in tribal areas of North and South  aziristan . Patients had sustained multiple injuries mostly due to road traffic accidents in hilly terrain , falls from heights and combat scuffles. Out of these trauma victims, 746 patients fractures of the clavicle were grouped, analyzed, treated with standard treatment methods and patients were followed up for the varying periods of time. Results: Out of 746 patients treated at our hospital, 84 were having fracture of clavicle(10.8%). 53 patients (63.1%) with clavicle fracture had fracture involving middle third of the clavicle , 20 patients (23.8%)had fracture of lateral third, and 11patients (13.1%) had fractures involving medial third of the clavicle. Conclusion: Clavicle is a bone which is at risk of fracture in cases of indirect blunt traumabecause the first human reaction in any violence or assault is to protect oneself by using the upper limbs. Its peculiar development and anatomical shape makes it vulnerable to fracture in most physical insults. However , it usually unites by conservative methods and even considerable non-union does not significantly affect function.