Purpose: The floating shoulder is a special entity in traumatology of the upper limb. Bioechanically, the floating shoulder corresponds, as defined by Goss, to a rupture of the suspensor complex. Management is not well defined but must target the proper balance between the need for anatomic restauration and quality functional results obtained in the majority of cases treated orthopaedically. This apparent paradoxical situation is probably related to the precision of indications.
Material and methods: Forty-five patients managed between 1980 and 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. Thirty-five presented a scapulo-cleido-thoracic syndrome, ten a scapulocleidal syndrome. Mean age at the time of trauma was 39 years and mean follow-up was 2.4 years (1–16). The patients, 36 men and nine women were mainly (76%) traffic accident victims (58% motorcycle, 33% automobile, 9% pedestrians) and 76.8% had multiple injuries. Cleidal lesions were 18 mid-third fractures, 12 acromiocleidal dislocations, three sternocleidal dislocations, seven bifocal fracrturs, three lateral third fractures and two medial third fracturs. The scapular lesion involved the body of the bone in 19 patients, the neck in 14, the glenoid cavity in two, the coracoid process in one, and multifocal fractures in nine.
Results: Thirty-two patients were treated orthopaedically and twelve patients surgically, four with cleidal osteosynthesis, eight with both. The postoperative x-rays were used to assess anatomic results and the Constant score to assess functional results. Complications included six deformed calluses, with four causing major functional impairment and one requiring revision. All resulted from orthopaedic treatments.
Discussion: While most patients have an indication for orthopaedic treatment, analysis of the displacemens can lead to a surgical indication. We retained the following criteria for surgical treatment: scapular neck fracture causing more than 40° angulation, glenoid medialisation-ventralisation greater than 2 cm, and displaced articular fracture. Osteosynthesis of the clavicle for floating shoulders with a major displacement appears to be the minimum prerequisite if the multiple injuries prevent optimal management.
