Review Note

Scapular Fractures

• Rare injuries
• Usually associated with high-energy trauma (e.g., motor vehicle accident, fall from height, abuse) and often accompanied by other injuries (e.g., rib fracture, pneumothorax).
• Fracture can occur in:
  • Scapular body (most common)
  • Scapular neck (2nd most common)
  • Glenoid
  • Acromion
  • Coracoid process
    
    

• Pain when moving the arm
• Swelling around the back of the shoulder
• Scrapes above the affected area
  
  
  

Treatment

• Effective in most cases.
• Simple shoulder sling (for immobilization)
  
  

• Indications:
  • Glenoid articular fracture with displacement
  • Scapular neck fracture with significant angulation
  • Acromion fracture causing the humerus to impinge (impingement syndrome)
• Procedure:
  • ORIF with plates and screws
    
    

• Analgesia
• Physiotherapy (to maintain arm motion and prevent elbow stiffness)
• Follow-up X-rays for all patients