What Is The Recovery From Clavicle Lengthening Surgery?

Q: Dr. Eppley, My shoulders aren’t that narrow, so I wouldn’t need more than 15mm-20 mm of increased clavicle length to get to my goal. I just would like to discuss the postoperative journey after and actual risks. And if any of your precedent case was able to get back to 100%

A:Based on the degree of change that you feel you need those shoulder lengthening goals are the limits of what clavicle lengthening can achieve based on current techniques.

Whether it is shoulder reduction or shoulder lengthening the postoperative recovery protocol is the same. I put patients on gradual increase of arm movement over a six week. At which point arm motion should be fairly normal. When it comes to strenuous activity this is delayed until three months after the surgery to allow for more complete bony consolidation.

Like all aesthetic clavicle surgery the primary risk is fixation failure and a nonunion. These risks are a bit greater in shoulder lengthening then they are in reduction. The key to lowering these risks shoulder lengthening is to not try to exceed the 15 to 18 mm lengthening that usually can be achieved.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Plastic Surgeon