The Operative Treatment of Sternoclavicular Joint Dislocations in Adults: A Systematic Review

This systematic review aimed to assess the literature on the treatment modalities used for acute sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) dislocation injuries. We aimed to review the clinical outcomes following these modalities by assessing functional scores, range of motion (ROM), patient satisfaction, complications, and revisions. A thorough literature search was conducted on four databases (Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar) for studies published from January 2000 to May 2024 that focused on surgical treatment of sternoclavicular joint dislocation in patients over the age of 18 years. Of 1509 studies identified, 16 met our inclusion criteria and were selected as eligible. The studies included a total of 245 patients with an average age of 42.7 years ranging from 15 to 75 years. A total of 247 acute SCJ dislocations were treated with an average follow-up period of 45.7 months. Our research demonstrated that operative treatment for both anterior and posterior SCJ dislocations is beneficial and has been shown to improve functional outcomes and patient satisfaction, with few complications and a low revision rate. There is a wide range of implants and devices available, and detailed diagnostics of injury type and patient demographics would help to aid in the selection of an optimal device. In order to have comparable data between these interventions, further research, including randomized controlled trials and comparable studies, needs to be conducted. This, in turn, would contribute to more specific guidelines in the future for the treatment of these injuries.