Does Forward Rounding Of The Shoulders Occur After Clavicle Shortening Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I’m very interested in this procedure and I’m wondering about the forward rounding of the shoulders? How does it look from the back after the procedure and is there anything that you do to prevent the shoulders from hunching forward?

A:In my extensive experience with clavicle reduction surgery there really is no forward rounding of the shoulders that occurs long-term. There is an initial rounding of the shoulders effect due to the comfort in having your elbows closer to your side and pulled inward during the early recovery period. But once the discomfort is resolved and one has a more upright posture there is no rounding of the shoulder seen. I have looked at numerous Long term club local reduction patients who have come later for other procedures to evaluate that exact effect and it simply is not seen.

Given that the clavicle is an angulated bone and you remove enough of it it is possible to pull the shoulders forward and in. But at 2.5 cm of bone removal per side that simply is not enough bone shortening to create that effect.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Plastic Surgeon