Evaluation of the Surgical Treatment of Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation With a New Option for Temporary Fixation of the Acromioclavicular Joint

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the results of surgical treatment of acute acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) dislocation using coracoclavicular cerclage, coracoacromial ligament transfer to the distal third of the clavicle, and a new option for strengthening the temporary stabilization of the ACJ using a Kirschner wire between the clavicle and scapula. We evaluated 21 patients who underwent surgical treatment for ACJ dislocation. The average follow-up period was 18 months and varied from 13 to 23 months. Postoperative results, graded by the UCLA scoring system, were satisfactory in 20 patients. Using radiographic evaluation, 18 patients did not show loss of reduction. Among 21 patients who underwent surgical treatment, only 2 complications related to a new method of temporary ACJ stabilization were reported, neither of which appeared to influence the final outcome. The authors concluded that the surgical treatment of acute ACJ dislocation provides good functional and radiographic outcomes and that a new method of temporary ACJ stabilization described herein is an easy-toperform and low-cost procedure with a low complication rate.