Delayed presentation of Subclavian venous thrombosis following undisplaced clavicle fracture

Tony Kochhar¹ , Chethan Jayadev¹ , Jay Smith² , Emmet Griffiths² and Kamaljit Seehra³

¹Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Queen's Hospital Romford, Essex, UK

²Department of Trauma & Orthopaedics, Hillingdon Hospital, Middlesex, UK

³Department of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Colney Lane, Norwich, NR4 7UY, UK

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World Journal of Emergency Surgery 2008, 3:25doi:10.1186/1749-7922-3-25


Published:	22 July 2008

Abstract

Medial clavicle fractures are uncommon, accounting for approximately 5 percent of all clavicle fractures. Vascular injuries are uncommon but are recognised as either an immediate complication due to transection of the vessel by the displaced fracture, or as a late complication, secondary to compression from abundant callus formation. We present an unusual case of positional venous insufficiency in the upper limb as an immediate complication of a closed, minimally displaced clavicle fracture, with secondary subclavian venous thrombosis formation eleven days following the injury.