A Joint to Remember: A Case Series of Sternoclavicular Joint Swelling in Nigeria

The sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) is the forgotten joint of the pectoral girdle. Swelling of this joint is not a common clinical presentation but due to its prominence at the base of the neck and its subcutaneous location, most patients present early. Yet, due to the small size of the joint, advanced imaging (CT scan or MRI) is usually required for definitive diagnosis, which may be too expensive for most patients in low to medium resource settings. This lack of a definitive diagnosis in non-traumatic lesions of the SCJ may contribute to the paucity of articles on this condition from Africa. We report five cases of swelling in this joint, four of which were diagnosed as Osteoarthritis and one as a ligament sprain. All patients were treated with NSAIDS and those with Osteoarthritis also had Physiotherapy. The pain resolved in three of the patients, but the swelling persisted. The remaining two stopped attending clinic for follow up.