Maxfacts

Collarbone

Treatment of postoperative problems affecting the collarbone (clavicle) include

• Open reduction and internal fixation (returning the bone to correct position and holding it in place with a titanium plate after pathological fracture or malunion (improper alignment after fracture) if the clavicle has to be divided to access a very low lymph node mass or vessels in the neck.
• Excision of symptomatic ischaemic or avascular necrosis of the sternoclavicular joint after radical neck dissection and postoperative radiotherapy. The joint between the collarbone and the sternum (breastbone) disintegrates because of a lack of adequate blood supply. The necrotic area is usually simply excised and not reconstructed. The need is very rare.