Clinical and radiological results after coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction for type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation using three different techniques. A retrospective study

Abstract

Purpose: the purpose of this retrospective study was to present the outcomes of three different techniques for the treatment of type III acromioclavicular joint dislocations: arthroscopic TightRope (TR), arthroscopic GraftRope (GR), and open reconstruction of the coracoclavicular (CC) ligament using the Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System (LARS). Methods: eighteen patients underwent clinical and radiological evaluations after a mean follow-up time of 43 months. The following clinical outcome measures were considered: the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand outcome measure (DASH), the Nottingham Clavicle Score (NCS), and the Constant score (CS). On X-rays, the CC distance was measured. Results: the median DASH score at follow-up was 12.5 in the TR group, 5 in the GR group, and 4.2 in the LARS group. The median NCS value was 88 in the TR group, 88 in the GR group, and 91 in the LARS group. The median CS was 100 in the TR group, 95 in the GR group, and 94.5 in the LARS group. The mean CC distance was 10.3 mm in the TR group, 13.8 in the GR group, and 16.6 in the LARS group. Conclusions: all three techniques proved to be reliable in providing good clinical outcomes, although none of the studied techniques demonstrated reliability in maintaining anatomical reduction after surgery. Level of evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study.