[Clinical outcomes of surgical management of acromioclavicular dislocation with and without ligament suturing].

INTRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to present a retrospective assessment of clinical outcomes of acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation surgery with and without suturing of the coracoclavicular ligament (CC).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

Patients regardless of their age and gender were included in the study. All the subjects were operated by the same surgeon using the same surgical technique--traction cerclage. Every odd-numbered patient's procedure included ligament suturing and every even-numbered patient was operated without ligament suturing. The patients underwent clinical follow up at identical time intervals, had Pruban (elastic net bandage) fixation applied for one week and had the same rehabilitation regime for 6 weeks. The wires were extracted at 6-8 months. A total of 42 patients were included in the study. All the subjects were classified according to Tossy III, based on x-ray findings. The study group included 36 males and 6 females. The average age was 31.8 years (17-55). In 14 cases, preoperative stress x-rays of the upper extremity were performed. CC ligmanet suture was completed in 21 patients and 21 patients underwent procedures without CC suturing. The clinical outcome was assessed after wire extraction.

RESULTS

Painful complications were recorded in 2 subjects and they reported the pain to be intermittent. The pain was classified as maximum grade 4, based on VAS (Visual analogue score). In one patient, the authors recorded pain sensation in the area of Kirschner's wires endings. In this particular patient, the wires were extracted 6 weeks after the procedure and following that, the patient was symptom-free.

CONCLUSION

Based on the findings, the authors recorded no differences in the clinical outcomes of AC surgery with or without CC ligament suturing.