Post-traumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle: A case report and reviewof the literature

The post-traumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle is very infrequent and the etiology and pathology is poorly understood. It is important to consid er this possibility for differential diagnosis when continued pain in the a cromio-clavicular joint (AC joint) follows blunt shoulder trauma. The cours e of the disease may result in a 3 cm loss of length of the distal clavicle . Months and years may pass until osteolysis becomes manifest, but the earl iest radiological findings are present 4 weeks after trauma. The disease is self-limiting and usually does not leave residues. We report a case of a 3 5-year-old man with a post-traumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle afte r blunt shoulder trauma. The diagnosis was determined several months after pain persisted in his shoulder. Using this case we discuss the possible pat hogenic mechanism, differential diagnosis and treatment options for the pos t-traumatic osteolysis of the distal clavicle.