Posttraumatic osteolysis of the distal ends of the clavicle. Report of three cases.

Three cases of posttraumatic osteolysis of the lateral end of the clavicle are described. Two of the patients were judo participants who fell on their shoulder. They were treated primarily as partial acromio-clavicular joint dislocations. The third patient was a woman who fell from her bicycle and was treated surgically by a Knowless nail because of acromio-clavicular dislocation. The clinical and radiological findings of osteolysis developed slowly. The joint line was typically widened in the radiographs. The disorder settled spontaneously within one year. Further judo training was possible without symptoms. Distal osteolysis of the clavicle is a rare condition and it may well occur during injury at sport.