[Surgical management of complete acromioclavicular joint dislocation (Tossy III) with PDS cord cerclage]

29 patients out of 33 with complete acromioclavicular dislocation treated with sewing of ligaments and stabilized with a PDS-cord cerclage could be examined. The criteria of examination were subjective complaints while lifting weight, limited range of motion in the injured shoulder and radiological results after stress with 8 kp. The examination didn't show any relationship between the 3 parameters. 4 patients with poor function had partly no, partly little complaints and if any only little AC-dislocation. On the other hand 4 patients out of 6 with remaining AC-subluxation had no complaints and in no case there was a reduced range of motion greater than 10 degrees. Three patients got postoperative infection of soft tissue or bone, probably caused by incompatibility with PDS-cord, which led to a fair or poor outcome. Instead of this there can be obtained excellent and good results in 75-85% of the cases with this simple method without inserting stabilizing metals trans- or extraarticular.