Upper Limb Disability after Treatment in Robinson Type Iib1 Clavicle Fractures in a Secondary Care Hospital

Introduction: Robinson type IIB1 clavicle fractures are the most common mid-clavicular fractures, and their management remains a subject of debate. While conservative treatment has historically been the first choice, recent evidence suggests functional advantages of surgical management.

Objective: To compare upper limb disability after conservative and surgical treatment in type IIB1 clavicle fractures in a secondary level hospital.

Materials and methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional, analytical, and prospective study conducted between March 2025 and August 2025. Patients aged 18–40 years with type IIB1 fractures treated conservatively or surgically were included. Functional disability was assessed at six months using the QuickDASH scale. Student's t-test was used to compare means; p < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results: One hundred patients were analyzed: 86% male, with a mean age of 29.3 years. The predominant mechanism of injury was traffic accident (76%). The mean QuickDASH disability score was 8.68 in the conservative group and 8.14 in the surgical group. The difference was not statistically significant (t=1.23; p=0.224).

Conclusions: Surgical treatment resulted in less upper limb disability compared to conservative management, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. Clinically, surgery may offer slightly better functional recovery in type IIB1 displaced fractures.