This study analysed, in retrospect, 161 patients with scapular factures in combination with ipsilateral injuries of the shoulder girdle, which were treated at the Trauma Center Murnau from November 2009 until May 2013. The patients had been assigned in groups after a new classification after Friederichs in accordance with their additional injuries of the shoulder and underwent a follow-up care. Furthermore, we compared the functional outcome of operative and conservative treatments with the help of the Constant-Murley-Score (Boehm). According to the results and patient’s facture classification, we then tried to apply a treatment algorithm with standardised categorisation.
The scapula and clavicle form a functional unit during the transmission of forces to the chest. The clavicle serves as osseous connection to the thorax. Injuries of the shoulder girdle can result in corpus fractures, glenoid- fractures, isolated Proc. coracoid fractures, isolated acromion fractures or combinations of those. If the force vector is transmitted to the clavicle, it can also lead to ipsilateral fractures of the clavicle or AC-joint injuries. The "Superior Shoulder Suspensory Complex" (SSSC) is formed by the acromioclavicular joint with the distal clavicle, the coracoclavicular ligaments with the coracoid process and the lateral scapula with medial glenoid. If, at least, two of these structures are injured, the shoulder girdle is defined as unstable. A consistent classification of the injury pattern has not been described, yet. Also, there is no scientific evidence so far, what treatment for this type of injury is most appropriate (operative or conservative).
The focus of this study was on the evaluation and analysis of the patient’s injury pattern using the fracture classification according to Friederichs, that classifies scapular fractures in combination with injuries of the ipsilateral SSSC. This classification is divided into three main-groups according to the degree of dislocation and instability: A-fractures are defined as non-displaced, stable fractures. B-fractures as displaced, but also stable fractures and C-fractures as unstable fractures. The patient population included 62 of 161 patients. 30 patients were classified as A-fractures, 15 patients as B-fractures and 17 patients as C-fractures. 62% of accompanying injuries to the scapula fracture were clavicle fractures. The remaining 38% were AC joint injuries. 53% of the patient population were initially classified as polytrauma.
As part of the follow-up, 42 patients were evaluated through questionnaire by Constant and Murley (CMS), in the German version according to Boehm. The analysis showed that a total of 42.5% of patients were treated surgically and 57.5% conservatively. In 89% of surgically treated patients a posterior approach (Judet) was chosen. Patients with surgical treatment of their B-fractures reached a higher score of an average of 10 percentage points compared to conservatively treated patients. The difference in C-fractures showed a higher score of an average of 5 percentage points in surgically treated patients. A-fractures were always treated conservatively, because of their non-displaced and stable nature.
Thus, the preliminary recommendation of this work is the operative treatment for displaced, stable or unstable injuries of the scapula in combination with ipsilateral injuries of the SSSC. According to our data, the recommendation is to approach the scapular facture as well as the clavicular fracture and not only to treat the scapular fracture solitarily. In spite a clear statistical trend, statistical significance could not be achieved. Therefore, it is planned to repeat this study in a few years with a larger population in order to achieve statistical verification.
In comparison with the literature that is given so far, inconsistent data of the injury patterns shows again the need for a consistent classification. The fracture classification after Friederichs represents a good clinical picture of the injury patterns. Due to the graduation of the fracture classification, a first impression of severity of the injury can be given and the fracture’s morphology can be assessed objectively and systematically.
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This study analysed, in retrospect, 161 patients with scapular factures in combination with ipsilateral injuries of the shoulder girdle, which were treated at the Trauma Center Murnau from November 2009 until May 2013. The patients had been assigned in groups after a new classification after Friederichs in accordance with their additional injuries of the shoulder and underwent a follow-up care. Furthermore, we compared the functional outcome of operative and conservative treatments with the help...
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