Clavicle fracture complicating into pyopneumothorax and non union

Clinical Cases 26.05.2003
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Section: Musculoskeletal system
Case Type: Clinical Cases
Patient: 46 years, female
Authors: Gurudev S, Riley D, Machani M
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Details
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AI Report

Clinical History

Car driver involved in a road traffic accident with a head on collision.

Imaging Findings

The patient, car driver, was involved in a road traffic accident with a head on collision. With an intact primary survey, secondary survey revealed painful right clavicular area but no other injuries.
Chest x-ray revealed a minimally displaced closed fracture of the middle third of the clavicle with no evidence of pneumothorax (pic 1).
8 days later she complained of shortness of breath and chest pain. A chest X-ray revealed a pneumothorax with effusion and displacement of the clavicular fracture (pic 2). A CT of the chest confirmed the pneumothorax with effusion (pic 3). A chest drain was inserted which drained a transudate (pic 4). 3 days after the insertion, the chest-drain-tract developed infection draining pus and loosened. The chest drain had to be removed leaving behind a persistent pyopneumothorax (pic 5).
At a regional specialist cardiothoracic unit where she underwent a thoracotomy, corticotomy and pleural washout with intensive care and antibiotics for MRSA for 3 weeks finally sorted out the pyopneumothorax.
When things were seemingly settling down the site of the fracture clavicle developed an abscess which was incised but complicated as a draining sinus for nearly 8 weeks (pic 6). Conservative treatment and oral antibiotics successfully healed the wound.
10 months later the clavicle fracture eventually went into atrophic non-union (pic 7&8) with marked loss of shoulder movements. After a guarding consent the fracture was treated surgically with plate & screws with bone grafting (pic 9). A 6 month follow up showed she recovered well with gaining near normal range of shoulder movements.

Discussion

Fracture of the clavicle occurs in lateral, middle and medial thirds of the clavicle. Middle third clavicular fractures account for nearly 80% of adult clavicle fractures. The fractures may displace according to the forces of muscular pull as shown in (pic 2b) with consequential immediate and delayed complications.
Immediate complications include skin puncture, subclavian artery/vein transection, pneumothorax (bronchial rupture). Delayed complications include non-union, malunion, re-fracture, thoracic outlet syndrome.
In this case, the pointed end of the displaced clavicle punctured the pleura, causing pneumothorax, followed by a series of complications of pyopneumothorax, abscess formation and finally non-union.
The learning point from this case is that, although pneumothorax is usually suspected in an acute case of road traffic accident, one needs to be aware that fracture of the clavicle, though initially minimally displaced, can displace further, causing a delayed pneumothorax and followed by a battery of complications.

Differential Diagnosis List

Fracture of the clavicle complicating into pyopneumothorax and atrophic non-union

Final Diagnosis

Fracture of the clavicle complicating into pyopneumothorax and atrophic non-union

Liscense

Figures

Plain Chest X-ray Immediately after Accident

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Plain Chest X-ray Immediately after Accident

Plain chest X-ray 8 days after the accident

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Plain chest X-ray 8 days after the accident
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Plain chest X-ray 8 days after the accident

Chest CT

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Chest CT

Plain chest X-ray after insertion of a chest drain

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Plain chest X-ray after insertion of a chest drain

Chest X-ray after removal of the drain

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Chest X-ray after removal of the drain

Image of draining sinus

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Image of draining sinus

Xrays of the clavicle initially and 10 months later

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Xrays of the clavicle initially and 10 months later
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Xrays of the clavicle initially and 10 months later

X-ray of chest after fixation of the fracture clavicle.

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X-ray of chest after fixation of the fracture clavicle.