Surgical treatment of acute type-V acromioclavicular injuries in athletes

In a prospective study, 18 consecutive athletes with an acute type-V acromioclavicular sprain were treated with a coracoclavicular repair using a double velour Dacron graft. All patients were reviewed after a mean follow-up period of 6 years (range: 2-9 years). At follow-up, 12 patients (66.7%) showed a good or excellent result according to the Imatani evaluation system, and six patients (33.3%) demonstrated a fair or poor result according to the same system. Loss of reduction was encountered in eight shoulders (44.4%) despite an initial anatomical reduction. No correlation was seen between the overall scores at follow-up and the degree of residual dislocation, between the overall scores and the presence of coracoclavicular calcifications or ossifications, between the overall scores and the development of post-traumatic arthritic changes, or between the overall scores and the presence of osteolysis of the distal clavicle.