Active — Not RecruitingNot Applicable

Multi-Center Adolescent Clavicle Fracture Trial: Operative vs. Non-Operative Treatment

United States250 participantsStarted 2013-03-11

Plain-language summary

Investigators from eight tertiary care, level 1 pediatric trauma centers have developed a protocol for the establishment of a formal, prospective multi-center adolescent clavicle registry, with designs for standardized radiographic assessment and the prospective collection of validated outcome measures and complications data, for all patients, ages 10-18, treated for clavicle shaft fractures, operatively and non-operatively. Eventually, the investigators would like to do comparative analysis for the operative and non-operative treatment arms, with additional sub-stratified analyses performed within these treatment arms by age and activity level. Among the primary goals of research projects stemming from the first arm of this registry, FACTS A, is to explore the hypothesis that non-operative treatment is associated with lower costs, greater safety, and equivalent or superior outcomes, compared with operative treatment, despite a national trend towards increasing surgical treatment. The second arm of the registry, FACTS B, will continue to investigate the same hypotheses, excluding cost outcomes, in patients only with completely displaced midshaft clavicle fractures.

Who can participate

Age range

10 Years – 18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 10-18 * Diagnosis of a primary diaphyseal clavicle fracture * Fracture must be completely displaced * Patient - BCH subjects must pursue follow-up at BCH main campus or Waltham must be 59 days or less from the primary fracture * All study patients (across all sites) must agree to be contacted by a long-term follow-up coordinator based out of Boston Children's Hospital for long-term follow-up questions (out to the 2-year time point). This can/will be done via phone, mail, text message, and/or email. Exclusion Criteria: * Pathological fracture * Previous ipsilateral fracture * Unable to fill out outcome collection forms * Refusal to participate * Underlying neurologic or neurocognitive disorder that affects UE function * Underlying metabolic bone disorder (e.g. osteogenesis imperfecta) that significantly alters normal bone healing * Unable to project injury X-ray films if treated initially at an institution that is not a member of this register

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Changes in functional score from time of injury (or from time of surgery) using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (ASES)

Timeframe: 2 years

Trial details

NCT IDNCT04250415

SponsorBoston Children's Hospital

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeOBSERVATIONAL

Primary completion2026-06-01

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Clavicle Fracture trials