Management of anterior sternoclavicular dislocation: a survey of orthopaedic surgeons

Acute and chronic symptomatic anterior sternoclavicular (SC) dislocations are rare; various treatment options have been described. With the purpose of surveying current practices and opinions concerning treatment of these lesions, we sent a questionnaire to members of a general orthopaedic society, a national shoulder society and an international shoulder society. Closed reduction was attempted by 52% of the respondents, but > 80% of the surgeons stated that the reduction was not maintained in more than half of the dislocations. The procedure preferred by the respondents--explicitly by members of the international shoulder society--to deal with chronic symptomatic anterior SC dislocation, is reconstruction of the ligaments. Members of the international shoulder society are more likely to choose operative treatment for chronic symptomatic anterior SC dislocations.