Back

After dislocating my collar bone I have a big bump to show for it. Should I leave it or have surgery to remove it?

Your decision may be based on cosmetics versus function. Is the doctor advising surgery to prevent the problem from getting worse with possible pain and lost motion? Or are you asking for surgery to shave off the bump because of how it looks? For women the bump may rub on under garments or clothing causing skin problems.

A bump in the front suggests an anterior (forward) dislocation. So you aren't likely to be at risk for a punctured lung, nerve, or blood vessel. These are potential problems for patients with posteriorly displaced injuries.

Many times a soft figure-eight harness is used early on to bring the collarbone back into a more normal alignment during healing. Since you didn't mention how long ago your injury occurred, we aren't sure this treatment will help you.

Conservative care is almost always advised first. There just aren't a lot of studies done to show that surgery is needed or makes a difference in the final outcome. If appearances are important you must keep in mind that the result may not be perfect. Sometimes the bone grows another bump around the one that was taken off. There's usually a small scar. Infection is always possible though unlikely.

« Back