Anatomical Analysis of Clavicles in Korean Adults and Compatibility of Pre-Contoured Anatomical Plates / 대한정형외과학회잡지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Due to the complex anatomy of clavicles, clavicular plates are not always compatible with clavicular fractures. The purpose of this study was to analyze basic data on the anatomy of the clavicle in order to determine compatibility between clavicles of Korean adults and pre-contoured anatomical plates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the anatomy of 600 clavicles of 300 patients who underwent three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography of clavicles in the emergency room of Konkuk University Chungju Hospital, between July 2010 and July 2011, using Andermahr's method; in addition, the compatibility between 3D axial images of clavicles and sectional images of pre-contoured anatomical plates was also examined using Adobe Photoshop. RESULTS: The mean length of the clavicle was 146.21+/-4.98 mm, the mean width was 9.63+/-1.67 mm, and the mean thickness was 9.54+/-1.67 mm. The location of the maximum superior bow was 36.17+/-0.60 mm from the lateral end of the clavicle and the mean magnitude was 5.88+/-0.62 mm. The mean depth of medial curvature was 15.89+/-1.33 mm, and the mean depth of the lateral curvature of the clavicle was 11.73+/-1.66 mm. The compatibility between clavicles and plates was 79% as above a fair compatibility in the 50% range of clavicles and 48% as above a fair compatibility in the 60% to 70% range of clavicles. On the contrary, in application of medial and lateral plates in the 60% to 70% range of clavicles, above a fair compatibility had increased to 67%. CONCLUSION: A more adequate pre-contoured anatomical plate is required for satisfactory improvement of the compatibility of clavicles of Korean adults.