Acute high-grade acromioclavicular joint dislocation patients treated with titanium cable insertion under a homemade guider.

BACKGROUNDS

To describe a new technique for implanting a double-bundle titanium cable to treat acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation via the new guider, and evaluate clinic outcomes.

METHODS

A retrospective study of patients treated for acute high-grade acromioclavicular joint dislocation from June 2016 to January 2020 in our trauma center, twenty patients with AC joint dislocation were managed with double-bundle titanium cable. It includes the following steps: (1) Put the guider under the coracoid close to the cortical; (2) drill proximal clavicle; (3) place the titanium cable; (4) perforate distal clavicle, (5) reset the acromioclavicular joint and lock titanium cable; and (6) suture the acromioclavicular ligament. An independent reviewer conducted functional testing of these patients, including the use of coracoclavicular distance (CCD), visual analog scale (VAS) scores, and Constant-Murley scores (CMS).

RESULTS

All patients are presented following at a median duration of 15 months (12-24months) after the surgery. All patients based on X-ray evaluation and clinic evaluation. The median CCD was 7.5 (6-14) mm, the VAS score was 0.55 (0-2), the CMS score was 95.5 (92-99). One patient had subluxation again at the final follow-up based on X-ray examination.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that the AC joint fixation anatomically with double-bundle titanium, acquired excellent outcomes in terms of the recovery of shoulder joint function and radiographic outcomes. It has a low complication rate and need not remove the hardware.