[chuckice]

Hey everyone...typing is tough so I apologize up front. Here's the story if u need more info...
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=57624
The break is pretty serious, i.e. the broken bones aren't aligned at all...I'm leaning towards clav pin surgery but was hoping to hear first hand from the folks here. Positive or negative experiences?

Duke is recommending surgery since I ride alot and I'm a photographer while 2 others say just let it heal. It seems the odds of proper healing goes way up with surgery...of course the downside being it's surgery. Any help is much appreciated!

 

[chuckice]

p.s. here's the xray. i added the comment.

 

[madvax]

Personally, I don't think it is wise to ask these types of medical questions on a public forum.

Find a "good" doctor that you trust and follow their advice.

 

[chuckice]

thx but i'd like to hear the experiences of others in addition to doctors...

 

[Henry Chinaski]

I didn't have it, just wore the brace that pulls them into alighment for 4 weeks or whatever. But every situation is different. I'd go with your doc's advice. If you want get a second opinion from another good doc.

 

[JayTee]

Let me say that I think you are making a huge mistake by allowing your decision to be influenced one iota by input from an internet forum.

That being said, my personal experience with surgery involving the placement of hardware is that hardware is a foreign object in the body that can move around and be its own source of pain. I actually had a pin work its way out through the skin (not clavicle surgery though). So, I'd have a bias in favor of having it set and heal normally. But I'm no doc.

 

[chuckice]

thx all...i've already got 3 doc opinions...i'm just looking to see what others have done/why/how it worked/etc.

 

[alienator]

Go with what your docs suggest. And if in doubt, seek more medical opinions..er...from doctors.

FWIW, I busted my rt. clavicle into 4 pieces, at the distal end. Displacment/approximation was way off, but it healed fine with a sling. Other injuries at the time prevented surgery. I did start PT 3 weeks after the injury, and that was a big help.

 

[chuckice]

Let me say that you are not making any mistake whatsoever by asking folk's two cents on your clavicle. The internet (Gore-Net) is a wealth of knowledge, why else would you have asked in the first place. There are several, very wise MD related folks in RBR and perhaps many more firsthand patients...people who have been in the same seat you sit in.

A fellow tore his ACL and posted, I offered him two cents and several links to join what? Forums dedicated to knee patients. I wish Gore had invented the internet back in 1985, I would've enjoyed that much more than having to go to the library to do research.

That is a bad break, my freind Jim had one nearly identical. The positon of the break plays a large role. He is an extreme downhill rider and your x ray reminds me of his. He opted to avoid the surgery (as most do) and now his left shoulder looks like a cartoon, like a sketch my four your old nephew would draw if he tried to draw a shoulder.

Surgery or campy vs. shimano...how many posts are there where someone's purchase of a gruppo is swayed? Surgery is much more important and the more information you have, the better, imho. I've had five operations. Hardware is a pin? Is it possible you may need a small plate and a few screws? I hope they use Campy Most escape surgery, I hope you can and I hope it knits well !!!!

Here is a great article:

http://www.emedicine.com/orthoped/topic50.htm

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/410427

And guess what? A forum dedicated to loserbags with fractured clavicles (you know I am kidding just trying to cheer you up loserbag)....read this FORUM:

http://www.shoulder1.com/reference/ask10.cfm/34/16

See this pic:

http://www.emedx.com/emedx/diagnosis_information/shoulder_disorders/clavicle_fracture_orif-1.htm


http://www.emedx.com/emedx/diagnosis_information/shoulder_disorders/collarbone_fracture_outline.htm

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40024962/

Thk u VERY much!

edit: scuse me...thk u very much loserbag.

 

[chuckice]

Thk u...I'm just trying to listen/collect as much info as possible.

 

[EndoMadness]

I've broken mine 3 times....never had surgery, just the straps. But it sure seems that doctors wil operate these days with any chance they can get $$$. My boss had pins put in his last year...doing great for him.

 

[bikeboy389]

I can only tell you what my orthopedist told me when I broke my collarbone:

"We CAN do surgery and plate it, but unless you have something you MUST do in the next week or so, I recommend against it."

According to him, during the surgery they have to clean out any bone fragments and blood clots/broken vessels in the area of the break. That's fine, except that those things actually help speed healing if left in place. He said collarbones that he'd done surgery on were usable much sooner, but took much longer to actually knit the bones and become "hollow" again (yes, there's marrow in there, but "tubular" I guess).

I didn't do surgery, though I did in my collarbone about 5 days before a vacation trip to Ireland. My pint-raising hand was still OK, so I didn't need a fix. I was back to doing pushups without pain in 6-8 weeks, and my collarbone was actually in three pieces when I broke it!

 

[EndoMadness]

Bike boy just stated something i forgot about...blood clots. My boss is doing great now, however had blood clot complications with his clavicle plate....no bueno. Prolonged his healing by 3-4 weeks.

 

[chuckice]

Bike boy just stated something i forgot about...blood clots. My boss is doing great now, however had blood clot complications with his clavicle plate....no bueno. Prolonged his healing by 3-4 weeks.

interesting...not one doc mentioned this...already good info & good q's to ask. thks very much!

 

[bikeboy389]

I've broken mine 3 times....never had surgery, just the straps. But it sure seems that doctors wil operate these days with any chance they can get $$$. My boss had pins put in his last year...doing great for him.

My ortho also took me out of the straps in addition to recommending against surgery. I showed up in the figure-8 because the hospital had put me in it the day before. The first thing he asked was, "Are you comfortable in that brace?" I said it didn't seem to be helping especially, and he said I shouldn't bother with it and just gave me a sling to wear and a bunch of shoulder mobility exercises to do as soon as I felt able.

He's a big-time sports medicine guy, so he's got a different take on things than a lot of orthopedists.

 

[chuckice]

I can only tell you what my orthopedist told me when I broke my collarbone:

"We CAN do surgery and plate it, but unless you have something you MUST do in the next week or so, I recommend against it."

According to him, during the surgery they have to clean out any bone fragments and blood clots/broken vessels in the area of the break. That's fine, except that those things actually help speed healing if left in place. He said collarbones that he'd done surgery on were usable much sooner, but took much longer to actually knit the bones and become "hollow" again (yes, there's marrow in there, but "tubular" I guess).

I didn't do surgery, though I did in my collarbone about 5 days before a vacation trip to Ireland. My pint-raising hand was still OK, so I didn't need a fix. I was back to doing pushups without pain in 6-8 weeks, and my collarbone was actually in three pieces when I broke it!

how long ago was that? pretty much everyone i've talked with is pushing clav pin surgery...no plates. i'm not interested in the plate option but just checking since pins don't seem to be nearly the pita.

 

[bikeboy389]

how long ago was that? pretty much everyone i've talked with is pushing clav pin surgery...no plates. i'm not interested in the plate option but just checking since pins don't seem to be nearly the pita.

Could be as much as 5 years ago now, I forget. What Dr. Smith was objecting to was opening up the area and cleaning out the trauma stuff, which he said you have to do so you can see what you're doing and avoid errant clots and infection or something, so I expect he'd object regardless of the type of surgery, unless clav pins are so non-invasive that you don't have to see what you're doing (and clean out the mess).

But I know nothing about clav pins, and ain't much on doctorin' neither.

 

[blakcloud]

never broken a collar bone but just my leg

From past experience (5 surgeries), there is information you might want to consider.

All surgeries involve risk, no matter how small there is a risk and there is a risk of death. General anesthetic is involved in this risk. For more info look at http://www.youranaesthetic.info/
This doesn't mean you should not have the surgery, you just have to weigh the options.

Second, from my experience the effects of the anesthetic made me very sick. I am one of a few people that will throw up for a week after surgery. My head spins and generally makes me very ill. My surgeon says next time he will go local, that way I can watch. Again this may not happen to you.

Third, as someone else mentioned steel plates and screws are foreign pieces in your body. They can work loose and require more surgery (as mine did, they were removed) but the worse part for me is it just felt weird for me to have that in my body.

So this is just my personal experience but I certainly understand that everyone is different and their experiences vary. Good luck with your decision and I hope you have a quick and speedy recovery.

By the way, insteaad of losing my leg I am able to walk and ride a bike, so I am thankful for all the medical care I received.

 

[bahueh]

are you serious?

p.s. here's the xray. i added the comment.

you're seriously asking a bunch of yolkels on a road bike site about medical advice? dude...quit typing and aggravating that not so visually pleasant injury and get to the freaking hospital!!!

I'm suspicious...how can you even hold your arm up to type with a break like that?

 

[chuckice]

you're seriously asking a bunch of yolkels on a road bike site about medical advice? dude...quit typing and aggravating that not so visually pleasant injury and get to the freaking hospital!!!

I'm suspicious...how can you even hold your arm up to type with a break like that?

left arm is in a sling...rt arm works fine...pain meds take care of the rest.

the point of this thread is to collect more info and it's already worked...look at all the great stuff kpcw and others have posted. not exactly things you can easily research when you're on pain meds & not something u research in advance for that day you MAY break your clav.