Dear Brendan,

I am so sorry that you are facing such difficult treatment decisions and weighing quality of life issues.

As a physical therapist, I may be able to offer some insight as to what it would be like to have sternal (proximal) end of your clavicle resected. The good news would be that the sternal end would only be partially resected, offering some proximal support. Basically, the clavicle prevents your shoulder complex from collapsing into your chest area. Your scapula (shoulder blade) and rotator cuff muscles (control shoulder stability/movement) are much more important when it comes to providing proximal stability so you may elevate your arm. However, some slight joint movement must occur at the area of your resection in order to fully elevate your arm in a pain-free fashion.

You may need to wear some kind of sling for a bit, followed by physical therapy when appropriate in relation to your other treatments. There are also soft braces that can be worn that will help hold your shoulder blades back and support your upper/middle back region.

In summary, I don't think you will lose too much shoulder function. I even asked one of my colleague's opinions about this and we both agreed. It seems to me that the benefits of surgery and other treatments outweigh the risks of some loss of shoulder function.

Best wishes to you and your family as you move along this road no one wants to travel. May you get to the other side and have some smoother travels soon.

xo,
Kerri