[Reconstruction of chronic symptomatic acromioclavicular joint dislocation (Rockwood III-V) using the modified...

In literature there is a great controversy about the treatment of acute acromio-clavicular (AC) joint dislocations. Nevertheless some patients continue to suffer from chronic pain due to the persistent instability of the AC-joint. This can even lead to an impingement syndrome, going as far as tearing the rotator cuff. In 1972 Weaver and Dunn described a new procedure for the treatment of instable AC-joints. From 1988 to 1995 we used a modified version of this technique on 24 patients suffering from chronic AC-joint dislocation (Rockwood III-V). After the resection of the AC-joint and the preparation of the coraco-acromial ligament, we transposed the acromial end of this ligament together with a small piece of bone from the acromion tip to the lateral end of the clavicle. The results of this modified method were excellent. All patients had no pain anymore, regained a full shoulder movement, could participate in sport again and returned to work after an average of 3.3 months. This new procedure seems to be the treatment of choice for chronically instable AC-joint dislocations.