Surgical repair and reconstruction of traumatic floating shoulder injuries / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate clinical effect of surgical repair and reconstruction of traumatic floating shoulder injuries (FSI). Methods Sixteen patients with FSI were treated with open re-duction and reconstructive internal plate fixation. Of all, one patient was with transverse clavicle fracture, six with oblique clavicle fracture and nine with comminuted clavicle fracture. There was one patient with type Ⅰ scapula fracture, three with type Ⅱ, four with type Ⅲ, six with type Ⅳ and two with type Ⅴ. The combined injuries included rib fracture plus hemopneumothorax in six patients, traumatic moist lung in two, craniocerebral injuries in two, hepatic and splenic rupture in two and brachial plexus damage in one. The average time from primary injury to operation was seven days (3-21 days). Results Fifteen out of 16 patients were followed up for 6-28 months (average 11 months). All patients obtained bone u-nion, without infection, loosening or breakage of internal fixation. According to Herscvici evaluation standard of function, the shoulder joint outcome was rated as excellent in 11 patients, good in three and fair in one, with excellence rate of 93%. Conclusion The surgical repair and reconstruction of FSI can, to a greatest extent, recover the anatomical structure and stability around the shoulder joint and shorten the immobilization period of joint, which is beneficial to functional restoration of the joint and de-crease of occurrence of complications.