Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy for midshaft clavicular delayed union: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND: One of the most common complications following surgery for midshaft clavicle fracture is nonunion/delayed union. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is an alternative to promote new bone formation without surgical complications. To date, no literature has reported low-intensity ESWT (LI-ESWT) in delayed union of midshaft clavicle fracture. CASE SUMMARY: We reported a 66-year-old Chinese amateur cyclist with clavicle delayed union treated with 10 sessions of LI-ESWT (radial, 0.057 mJ/mm(2), 3 Hz, 3000 shocks). No anesthetics were applied, and no side effects occurred. At the 4 mo and 7 mo follow-ups, the patient achieved clinical and radiographical recovery, respectively. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our findings indicated that LI-ESWT could be a good option for treating midshaft clavicular delayed union.