©2003 British Editorial Society of Bone and Joint Surgery

ractures of the clavicle in the neonate are usually diagnosed by clinical examination and confirmed by plain radiography. Exposure of newborn infants to irradiation should be avoided if possible. Following the clinical examination of 2978 neonates, 15 had suspected fractures of the clavicle. All were confirmed by ultrasound. In combination with clinical examination, ultrasound is a satisfactory alternative to radiological assessment for the diagnosis of fractures of the clavicle in newborn children. J Bone Joint Surg [Br] 2003;85-B:115-6. Birth trauma is one of the main causes of neonatal morbid-ity and mortality. Fracture of the clavicle is relatively common after birth trauma, but seldom causes long-ter