Research Article

An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle

Volume: 43 Number: 3 August 10, 2009
  • Aksel Seyahi
  • Ata Atalar
  • Mehmet Demirhan
TR EN

An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle

Abstract

We report a case of stress fracture of the clavicle in which diagnosis was delayed due to the unusual localization of pain and absence of predisposing risk factors. A 34-year-old woman presented with severe right-sided pain in the shoulder, arm, neck, and hemithorax, and numbness in her right upper extremity. Systemic radiographs, cervical and brachial plexus magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and thorax computed tomography (CT) did not show any pathology. In a retrospective review of the shoulder MRI sections, an edematous appearance was noted in the right clavicle and adjacent soft tissues, suggesting a stress fracture of the clavicle. The patient was followed-up with activity limitation and analgesic treatment and her complaints subsided gradually. Control radiographs obtained 10 months later showed fracture healing with atypical callus formation. Stress fractures of the clavicle must be kept in mind in the differential diagnosis of shoulder pain presenting as an atypical severe arm pain radiating to the upper extremity and hemithorax. In suspected cases, it may be helpful to obtain CT and MRI sections parallel to the long axis of the clavicle.

Keywords

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Care Administration

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Aksel Seyahi This is me

Ata Atalar This is me

Mehmet Demirhan This is me

Publication Date

August 10, 2009

Submission Date

March 7, 2014

Acceptance Date

-

Published in Issue

Year 2009 Volume: 43 Number: 3

APA
Seyahi, A., Atalar, A., & Demirhan, M. (2009). An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, 43(3), 264-266. https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX
AMA
1.Seyahi A, Atalar A, Demirhan M. An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica. 2009;43(3):264-266. https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX
Chicago
Seyahi, Aksel, Ata Atalar, and Mehmet Demirhan. 2009. “An Unusual Cause of Shoulder Pain: Stress Fracture of the Clavicle”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 43 (3): 264-66. https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX.
EndNote
Seyahi A, Atalar A, Demirhan M (August 1, 2009) An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 43 3 264–266.
IEEE
[1]A. Seyahi, A. Atalar, and M. Demirhan, “An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle”, Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, vol. 43, no. 3, pp. 264–266, Aug. 2009, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX
ISNAD
Seyahi, Aksel - Atalar, Ata - Demirhan, Mehmet. “An Unusual Cause of Shoulder Pain: Stress Fracture of the Clavicle”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica 43/3 (August 1, 2009): 264-266. https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX.
JAMA
1.Seyahi A, Atalar A, Demirhan M. An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica. 2009;43:264–266.
MLA
Seyahi, Aksel, et al. “An Unusual Cause of Shoulder Pain: Stress Fracture of the Clavicle”. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica, vol. 43, no. 3, Aug. 2009, pp. 264-6, https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX.
Vancouver
1.Aksel Seyahi, Ata Atalar, Mehmet Demirhan. An unusual cause of shoulder pain: stress fracture of the clavicle. Acta Orthopaedica et Traumatologica Turcica [Internet]. 2009 Aug. 1;43(3):264-6. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA27ZF33YX