Clavicle fracture (synonyms: clavicle fracture; lateral third clavicle fracture; medial third clavicle fracture; middle third clavicle fracture; clavicle fracture; ICD-10-GM S42.0-: Fracture of the clavicle) is a fracture (broken bone) of the clavicle (collarbone).
Clavicle fracture is a very common injury in young males.
According to ICD-10, the following parts of the clavicle can be distinguished:
- Medial (in the middle part; ICD-10-GM S42.01: Medial third) – up to 80% of cases.
- Acromial ICD-10-GM S42.12: Acromion) or lateral third (at the shoulder end; ICD-10-GM S42.03: Lateral third) – up to 15%.
- Sternal (at the end near the breastbone) – about 5%.
Sex ratio: in the first and second decade of life, the male sex are significantly more often affected. From the third decade of life, the sex ratio equalizes.
Frequency peak: the disease occurs predominantly in the 1st and 2nd decade of life. More than 85% of clavicle fractures occur before the age of 10 years.
The prevalence is 15% of all childhood fractures (in Germany); clavicle fractures are among the second most common fractures.
The incidence (frequency of new cases) is about 60 cases per 100,000 inhabitants per year (in Germany).
Course and prognosis: The prognosis of a clavicle fracture is good. It is one of the harmless bone fractures. The healing process requires approximately 6-8 weeks.