Scapular Fracture Follow-up

  • Author: Joseph C Schmidt, MD; Chief Editor: Rick Kulkarni, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 12, 2011
 

Transfer

  • Transfer the patient with a scapular fracture when evaluation or treatment of associated injuries or surgical repair of the fracture is necessary and when neither is available at the initial institution.
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Deterrence/Prevention

  • Enforcement of traffic safety laws and injury prevention education are the two most productive measures for reducing scapular fractures.
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Complications

  • After associated injuries are excluded, the most common complication of an isolated scapular fracture is posttraumatic arthritis or bursitis.
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Prognosis

  • If no significant associated injury exists, the prognosis for complete or near complete recovery is excellent.
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Patient Education

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Joseph C Schmidt, MD  Assistant Professor, Program Director, Department of Emergency Medicine, Baystate Medical Center

Joseph C Schmidt, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Emergency Physicians, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michelle Ervin, MD  Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Howard University Hospital

Michelle Ervin, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, National Medical Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD  Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine

Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM  Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Elizabeth Health Center; Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine

David B Levy, DO, FACEP, FAAEM is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Medical Informatics Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

John D Halamka, MD, MS  Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System and Harvard Medical School; Attending Physician, Division of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

John D Halamka, MD, MS is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Rick Kulkarni, MD 

Rick Kulkarni, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency Physicians, American Medical Association, American Medical Informatics Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: WebMD Salary Employment

References
  1. Zlowodzki M, Bhandari M, Zelle BA, Kregor PJ, Cole PA. Treatment of scapula fractures: systematic review of 520 fractures in 22 case series. J Orthop Trauma. Mar 2006;20(3):230-3. [Medline].

  2. Stephens NG, Morgan AS, Corvo P, Bernstein BA. Significance of scapular fracture in the blunt-trauma patient. Ann Emerg Med. Oct 1995;26(4):439-42. [Medline].

  3. Baldwin KD, Ohman-Strickland P, Mehta S, Hume E. Scapula fractures: a marker for concomitant injury? A retrospective review of data in the National Trauma Database. J Trauma. Aug 2008;65(2):430-5. [Medline].

  4. McAdams TR, Blevins FT, Martin TP, DeCoster TA. The role of plain films and computed tomography in the evaluation of scapular neck fractures. J Orthop Trauma. Jan 2002;16(1):7-11. [Medline].

  5. Bartonicek J, Tucek M, Fric V. [Radiographic evaluation of scapula fractures]. Rozhl Chir. Feb 2009;88(2):84-8. [Medline].

  6. Hart RG, Rittenberry TJ, Uehara DT. Handbook of Orthopaedic Emergencies. Lippincott-Raven; 1999:149-55.

  7. Rosen P, Barkin R. Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. Mosby Year Book; 2002:584-586.

  8. Simon R, Koenigcknecht S. Emergency Orthopedics: The Extremities. Appleton and Lange; 1995:207-15.

  9. Tintinelli J, Ruiz E, Krome R. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. McGraw-Hill; 2000:1784-1787.

  10. Veysi VT, Mittal R, Agarwal S, Dosani A, Giannoudis PV. Multiple trauma and scapula fractures: so what?. J Trauma. Dec 2003;55(6):1145-7. [Medline].

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Classification of glenoid cavity fractures: IA - Anterior rim fracture; IB - Posterior rim fracture; II - Fracture line through the glenoid fossa exiting at the lateral border of the scapula; III - Fracture line through the glenoid fossa exiting at the superior border of the scapula; IV - Fracture line through the glenoid fossa exiting at the medial border of the scapula; VA - Combination of types II and IV; VB - Combination of types III and IV; VC - Combination of types II, III, and IV; VI - Comminuted fracture
Classification of glenoid neck fractures. Type I includes all minimally displaced fractures. Type II includes all significantly displaced fractures (translational displacement greater than or equal to 1 cm; angulatory displacement greater than or equal to 40°)
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Scapular anatomy. Muscle origin and insertion.
 
 
 
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