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Background: Optimal treatment of completely displaced midshaft clavicular fractures in adolescents remains controversial, with some favoring surgical management and others favoring a nonoperative approach. Few studies have comprehensively assessed longer-term nonoperative outcomes. Purpose: To prospectively assess patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and radiographic remodeling ≥5 years after injury in teenagers undergoing nonoperative treatment of completely displaced clavicular fractures. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Adolescent patients previously enrolled in a prospective study from a single institution with nonoperatively treated, completely displaced midshaft clavicular fractures ≥5 years from injury were eligible for the study. Patients were clinically evaluated for scapular dyskinesia and strength deficits. Bilateral clavicular imaging assessed residual shortening, displacement, and angulation. PROs included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES), the shortened version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH), Marx Shoulder Activity Scale, cosmesis, and return to sports data. Results: A total of 24 patients were available for the follow-up, of whom 17 (71%) consented to additional imaging. The mean cohort age at the time of injury was 14.5 ± 1.1 years, with 88% being male. At a mean follow-up of 6.1 years, all fractures had healed, with no patient requiring secondary interventions. Significant remodeling was observed across all measurements, with improvements of 70% in shortening (22.8 to 6.8 mm; P <.001), 73% in superior displacement (13.4 to 3.6 mm; P <.001), and 83% in angulation (10.4° to 1.8°; P <.001). Thirteen patients (72%) had a >2-cm initial shortening, and all remodeled to <2 cm. PROs were almost universally excellent, with mean ASES, QuickDASH, and Marx activity scores of 99 ± 3, 1 ± 3, and 20 ± 1, respectively, with 79% of patients reporting perfect scores in all 3 domains. Most patients (58%) were completely satisfied with their shoulder appearance, 38% were more satisfied than not, 1 patient (4%) was neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, and no patients were dissatisfied. All patients except 1 who were interested in sports returned to sporting activities. PROs were not associated with bony remodeling (P >.05). Conclusion: Teenaged patients with completely displaced clavicular fractures treated nonoperatively can expect excellent radiographic and clinical outcomes 5 years after injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: When stable osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions of the femoral condyle in a skeletally immature patient fail to heal with nonoperative methods, the standard of care treatment is condylar OCD drilling. Two primary OCD drilling techniques have been described, but no prospective studies have compared their relative effectiveness. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare the healing and function after transarticular drilling (TAD) with that after retroarticular drilling (RAD). It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in rate or time to healing, rate or time to return to sports, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), or secondary OCD-related surgery. Study Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: Skeletally immature patients with magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed stable OCD lesions of the medial femoral condyle who did not demonstrate substantial healing after a minimum of 3 months of nonoperative treatment were prospectively enrolled by 1 of 17 surgeon-investigators at 1 of 14 centers. Patients were randomized to the TAD or RAD group. Tourniquet time, fluoroscopy time, and complications were compared between the treatment groups. Postoperatively, serial radiographs were obtained every 6 weeks to assess healing, and PROs were obtained at 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months. Results: A total of 91 patients were included, consisting of 51 patients in the TAD and 40 patients in the RAD group, who were similar in age, sex distribution, and 2-year PRO response rate. Tourniquet time and fluoroscopy time were significantly shorter with TAD (mean, 38.1 minutes and 0.85 minutes, respectively) than RAD (mean, 48.2 minutes and 1.34 minutes respectively) (P =.02; P =.004). In the RAD group, chondral injury from K-wire passage into the intra-articular space was reported in 9 of 40 (22%) patients, but no associated postoperative clinical sequelae were identified in these patients. No significant differences between groups were detected in follow-up Pediatric–International Knee Documentation Committee, Lysholm, Marx Activity Scale, or Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Quality of Life scores. Healing parameters were superior at 6 months and 12 months in the TAD group, compared with the RAD group, and secondary OCD surgery occurred in 4% of patients who underwent TAD and 10% of patients who underwent RAD (P =.40). Patients in the TAD group returned to sports earlier than those in the RAD group (P =.049). Conclusion: TAD showed shorter operative time and fluoroscopy time and superior healing parameters at 6 and 12 months, but no differences were seen in 24-month healing parameters or PROs at all follow-up time points, when compared with RAD. Registration: NCT01754298 (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bony remodeling of displaced clavicle fractures in adolescents remains poorly understood. Purpose: To evaluate and quantify clavicle remodeling in a large population of adolescents with completely displaced fractures, which were treated nonoperatively, to better understand the factors that may influence this process. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Patients were identified from the databases of a multicenter study group investigating the functional outcomes of adolescent clavicle fractures. Patients between the ages of 10 and 19 years with completely displaced middiaphyseal clavicle fractures that were treated nonoperatively and who had further radiographic imaging of the affected clavicle at a minimum of 9 months from initial injury were included. Fracture shortening, superior displacement, and angulation were measured on the injury and final follow-up radiographs using previously validated techniques. Furthermore, fracture remodeling was classified as complete/near complete, moderate, or minimal, using an original classification system found to have good to excellent reliability (interobserver reliability = 0.78, intraobserver reliability = 0.90). Classifications were subsequently analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to determine the factors associated with deformity correction. Results: Ninety-eight patients (mean age, 14.4 ± 2.0 years) were analyzed at a mean radiographic follow-up of 3.4 ± 2.3 years. Fracture shortening, superior displacement, and angulation significantly improved during the follow-up period by 61%, 61%, and 31%, respectively (P <.001). Furthermore, while 41% of the population had initial fracture shortening >20 mm at final follow-up, only 3% of the cohort had residual shortening >20 mm. Fracture remodeling was found to be associated with follow-up time; those with longer follow-up time demonstrated more remodeling (P =.001). Eighty-five percent of patients aged <14 years and 54% of patients aged ≥14 years at time of injury with a minimum follow-up of 4 years underwent complete/near-complete remodeling. Conclusion: Significant bony remodeling occurs in adolescent patients with completely displaced clavicle fractures, including older adolescents, and appears to continue over longer time intervals, even beyond the adolescent years. This finding may help explain the low rate of symptomatic malunions in adolescents, even in severely displaced fractures, and particularly when compared with rates reported in adult studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]