What nerve injury is associated with fracture of the clavicle?

• A. Brachial plexus or subclavian nerve injury
• B. Axillary nerve injury
• C. Median nerve injury
• D. Ulnar nerve injury

Answer: (A)

Fractures of the clavicle can threaten the neural and vascular bundle that passes just beneath and behind the bone as it transitions from the neck into the upper limb. The brachial plexus lies in close proximity to the clavicle, so a break here can traction or compress these nerves, leading to weakness and sensory changes in the upper limb. This makes brachial plexus injury the most likely neural complication of a clavicle fracture. Other nerves you might think of—such as the axillary nerve, which is more commonly injured with injuries around the shoulder joint itself, and the median or ulnar nerves, which are affected by injuries further down the arm or at the elbow/wrist—are less typically involved with a clavicle fracture.