Acute high-grade acromioclavicular dislocations treated with triple button device (MINAR): Preliminary results

Choice of Acromioclavicular Dislocation Treatment Should Not Be Influenced by Risk of Development of Acromioclavicular Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

It is currently unknown to what degree surgical or nonoperative treatment of acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation influences the development of osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this study was to evaluate AC OA after surgical and nonoperative treatment for AC dislocations, compare OA prevalence between treatment options, and compare OA prevalence between the injured and contralateral shoulder.

METHODS

Articles reporting on the prevalence of OA after surgical or nonoperative treatment of an AC dislocation with a minimal 2-year follow-up were included. AC OA presence was extracted for the injured and contralateral shoulder. Treatment categories were defined based on anatomical variation in the reattachment of ligaments: AC fixation, coracoclavicular (CC) fixation, AC and CC fixation, Bosworth screw synthetic graft, tendon graft, and conservative. Study quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria.

RESULTS

Ninety-four articles were included for qualitative analysis, and 7 articles were included for meta-analysis (n = 3,812; follow-up = 2.0-24.2 years; mean age 37.6 ± 10.4 years). A total of 3,483 patients underwent surgical treatment, and 329 patients underwent conservative treatment. OA prevalence ranged from 6.7%-29.3% between 7 pooled treatment categories. Most included studies had a follow-up <10 years (94%) and OA prevalence increased with time, regardless of treatment option. There was no difference in OA prevalence between the injured and contralateral shoulder (p = 0.120). MINORS scores were varied, ranging from poor to very good.

CONCLUSION

The pooled AC OA prevalence of the 7 treatment categories ranged from 6.7% for the CC fixation surgical group to 29.3% for the conservative treatment group. However, the included studies were predominantly of low quality and had varying follow-up periods, with most having relatively short follow-up durations. No difference in AC OA prevalence was found between the injured and contralateral shoulder. Based on the available evidence, treatment choice for AC dislocation should not be influenced by the potential development of AC AO.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Medial placement of trapezoid tunnel leads to higher reduction loss in acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation treated with anatomic coracoclavicular fixation

Aim

To analyze the association between clavicular tunnel positioning and postoperative reduction loss in patients with acute acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation treated with anatomic coracoclavicular (CC) fixation using double clavicular tunnels.

Methods

A retrospective review of patients with AC joint dislocation, treated with anatomic CC fixation using double clavicular tunnels, was conducted. Patients with pre-operative, immediate post-operative, and final follow-up Zanca-view X-rays were included. On each X-ray, the obtained measures included: distance from lateral border of clavicle to trapezoid and conoid tunnels, distance between tunnels, clavicle length, and CC distance of affected and un-affected sides. Loss of reduction was calculated as CC distance difference between immediate and final post-operative X-rays. Association between reduction loss and tunnel positioning was analyzed.

Results

Conoid, trapezoid and tunnel ratios were 24% ± 4, 15% ± 3, and 9% ± 2, respectively. Significant reduction loss was seen in 21(45.7%) patients. Significantly higher probabilities of reduction loss were associated with trapezoid tunnels placed medial to 24 mm (30.8% vs 65.0%, OR 4.2 (IC95%: 1.2-14.4), p: 0.024) or 15% of the clavicle length (32.1% vs 66.7%, OR 4.2 (IC 95%: 1.2-14.9), p: 0.025).

Conclusions

Trapezoid tunnels placed medial to 24 mm or 15% medial to clavicle length could lead to higher probabilities of significant reduction loss. These findings support the importance of clavicular tunnels' proper placement for decreasing significant reduction loss.

Surgical management of acute, high-grade acromioclavicular joint separations: a systematic review

Background

While a number of treatment options exist for repair of acute, high-grade acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) separation, none have emerged as the standard of care. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on surgical treatment of acute, high-grade (Rockwood grades III-V) ACJ separations in order to compare outcomes between direct fixation and tendon graft ligament reconstruction.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature evaluating outcomes for acute ACJ separation treatment with direct fixation or free biologic tendon graft reconstruction was performed. The following databases were examined: the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed (1980-2021), and Embase (1980-2021). Studies were included if they reported a mean time to surgery as <6 weeks, contained >10 patients with a minimum 1-year follow-up, and reported clinical or radiographic outcomes.

Results

A total of 52 studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies reported outcomes following tendon graft ligament reconstruction (n = 128 patients). There were multiple methods of direct fixation. Thirty-three studies utilized suture button constructs (n = 1138), 16 studies used hook plates (n = 567), 2 studies used coracoclavicular screws (n = 94), 2 studies used suture fixation (n = 93), 2 studies used suture anchor (n = 55), 2 studies used suture cerclage fixation (n = 87), 1 used single multistrand titanium cable (n = 24), and 1 used K wire (n = 11). The mean follow-up Constant scores ranged from 77.5 to 97.1 in the fixation group compared to 90.3-96.6 in the tendon graft group. The mean visual analog scale scores ranged from 0 to 4.5 in the fixation group and 0.1-1 in the tendon graft group. Net CC distance ranged from 17.5 to 3.6 mm in the fixation group and 7.4-4 mm in the tendon graft group. The revision rates ranged from 0.0% to 18.18% in the direct fixation group and 5.88%-17% in the tendon graft group.

Conclusion

Direct fixation and tendon graft reconstruction for management of acute, high-grade ACJ separations have similar patient subjective and radiographic outcomes, as well as complication and revision rates at a minimum 1-year follow-up.

Criteria for return to play after operative management of acromioclavicular joint separation: a systematic review

Background

Acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation is a common cause of shoulder injury among athletes. High-grade injuries may require operative fixation, and comprehensive return-to-play guidelines have not yet been established. The purpose of this study was to summarize criteria for return to play after operative management of AC joint separation.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature was performed from January 1999 to April 2020 to evaluate clinical evidence regarding criteria for return to play after operative management of isolated AC joint separation.

Results

Sixty-three studies with at least 1 explicitly stated return-to-play criterion were identified out of an initial database search of 1253 published articles. Eight separate categories of return-to-play criteria were identified, the most common of which was time from surgery (95.2%). Return-to-play timelines ranged from 2 to 12 months, the most common timeline being 6 months (37.8%). Only 4 (6.3%) studies used conditional criteria to guide return to play, which included range of motion, strength, clinical stability, radiographic stability, functional assessment, safety assessment, and hardware removal.

Conclusion

Most published studies use only time-based criteria for return to play after surgery for AC joint separation, and only a small number of studies use additional subjective or objective criteria. While this systematic review helps provide a foundation for developing a comprehensive return-to-play checklist, further investigation is needed to establish safe and effective guidelines that will enable athletes to safely return to sport and minimize the recurrence of injury.

Revising the modified Neer classification for distal clavicle fractures: Description and reliability

BACKGROUND

The modified Neer classification is the most widely used classification system for distal clavicle fractures. However, it provides limited information for treatment decisions. The objective of this study was to revise the modified Neer classification to make it more suitable for treatment decision-making.

HYPOTHESIS

The revised version of the modified Neer classification has good intra- and interobserver agreements and provides an instructive treating algorithm.

STUDY DESIGN

Cohort study METHODS: Six observers, including three experienced shoulder specialists and three junior orthopaedic residents, independently reviewed plain radiographs of 52 patients with distal clavicle fractures. They were asked to classify the fracture types according to the modified Neer classification and our revised new classification separately to determine treatment approaches for each patient. Images were mirrored and randomized to verify the intraobserver agreement. Reliabilities were measured using the Fleiss kappa values.

RESULTS

Both the modified Neer classification and our revised version had near perfect intraobserver agreement (κ values: 0.87-1.00), whereas our revised Neer classification had a better interobserver agreement (κ values: 0.78 vs. 0.70, z = 4.70, p < 0.01) and stronger relevance to treatment decisions (coefficient of contingency: 0.70 vs. 0.44).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated a near-perfect intraobserver and substantial interobserver agreement of the revised new classification, indicating that our revised new classification was better than the modified Neer classification. Meanwhile, our revised classification brought few disputes in treatment selection.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The modified Neer classification was revised to make it more accurate and suitable for guiding treatment.

TYPE OF STUDY

Study of diagnostic test LEVEL OF STUDY: Level II.

Biologic and synthetic ligament reconstructions achieve better functional scores compared to osteosynthesis in the treatment of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation

PURPOSE

To systematically review the outcomes of surgical treatments of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

METHODS

Studies were identified by electronic databases (Ovid, PubMed). All studies reporting functional and radiological outcomes of surgical treatments of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocations were included. Following data were extracted: authors and year, study design, level of evidence, number of patients, age, classification of acromioclavicular joint dislocation, time to surgery, surgical technique, follow-up, clinical and imaging outcomes, complications, and failures. Descriptive statistics was used, when a data pooling was not possible. Comparable outcomes were pooled to generate summary outcomes reported as frequency-weighted values. Quality appraisal was assessed through the MINORS checklist.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-three studies were included for a total of 4473 shoulders. Mean age of participants was 36.9 years. Mean follow-up was 42.06 months. Arthroscopy showed better ASES (p < 0.0001) and lower VAS pain score (p = 0.0249) compared to an open approach. Biologic and synthetic reconstructions demonstrated better results over osteosynthesis techniques. Biologic techniques showed overall better Constant (p = 0.0001) and DASH (p = 0.0215) scores, while synthetic reconstruction showed better UCLA score (p = 0.0001). Among suture buttons, triple button showed overall better results in Constant (p = 0.0001) and VAS (p = 0.0001) scores, while better results in DASH score (p = 0.0003) were achieved by 2 double button techniques. Overall, the level of evidence was low.

CONCLUSION

Biological and synthetic reconstructions achieved better functional scores compared to osteosynthesis. Among suture buttons, the triple button showed better functional performance.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Restoring Horizontal Stability of the Acromioclavicular Joint: Open Acromioclavicular Ligament Reconstruction and Repair With Semitendinosus Allograft

Injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint are common and comprise ∼12% of shoulder injuries. Stability to the AC joint depends on the coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments for vertical stability and AC ligaments and capsular structures for horizontal stability. Injuries to the AC ligaments can lead to horizontal instability of the AC joint. There is no gold standard technique for treating these injuries surgically, and many of the described procedures focus on vertical instability rather than horizontal instability. This article describes an open AC ligament reconstruction with semitendinosus allograft to restore horizontal stability of the AC joint.

Early clinical and radiographic results of fixation with the TightRope device for Rockwood type V acromioclavicular joint dislocation: A retrospective review of 15 patients

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were, first, to assess the loss of reduction after fixation of Rockwood type V acromioclavicular joint dislocation (ACJD) with the TightRope device (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA) and, second, to present the functional and radiological outcomes of this treatment.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15 patients (12 males; mean age=39.2 years; age range=23-61) with Rockwood type V ACJD who were treated by the TightRope fixation device. The mean follow-up period was 19.3 (range=12-30) months. Functional status was assessed using the Constant-Murley score (CMS) at the final follow-up examination. To determine the reduction loss of ACJ, we measured and compared the coracoclavicular (CC) distance using radiographs with Zanca view in the early postoperative period and at the final follow-up examination. The fixation procedures were performed with an open technique using the TightRope fixation device.

RESULTS

The mean CMS at the final follow-up was 93.2 (range=82-100) points. All the patients experienced full recovery of the shoulder's range of motion, were able to return to the activities of daily living, and were satisfied with the treatment. ACJ reduction was successfully achieved in all the patients using the TightRope technique. Postoperative radiographs revealed no reduction loss in the ACJ, and the CC distance was well maintained. The mean CC distance was 19.95 (range=13.1-28.3) mm before surgery. The mean CC distance was 7.47 (range=4.2-11.5) mm in the early postoperative radiographic measurements. This difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). The mean CC distance at the final follow-up examination was 7.70 (range=4.5-11.7) mm. At the final follow-up visit, the shoulders of all the patients were still completely reduced, with a mean difference in the CC of 0.23 (range=0-1.3) mm compared with that in the early postoperative period. The difference in the CC between the early postoperative and final follow-up intervals was not statistically significant (p=0.055). No patient experienced recurrence or required an operation for hardware removal.

CONCLUSION

It seems that the TightRope device can provide anatomical restoration in patients with acute type V ACJD without subluxation at the final follow-up examination.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, Therapeutic study.

High grade acromioclavicular injury: Comparison of arthroscopic assisted acromioclavicular joint fixation and anatomic acromioclavicular joint reconstruction

Background

Injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint disrupting the AC and Coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments could lead to loss of clavicular strut function. A High-grade AC joint injury remain challenging because of highly variety of treatment and limited evidence exists comparing clinical outcomes and complications after surgery.

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical and radiological outcome after arthroscopic assisted acromioclavicular Joint fixation and anatomic acromioclavicular joint reconstruction.

Study design

Retrospective Clinical Cohort Study.

Methods

Twenty-nine patients with a high grade (Rockwood Type III-V) Acromioclavicular Joint Injury, operatively treated with arthroscopic assisted acromioclavicular joint fixation and anatomic acromioclavicular joint reconstruction from 2012 to 2018. The clinical assessment consists of Specific AC Score (SACS) and Nottingham Score. The radiographic evaluations were performed to evaluate the stability of reduction and the complications are assessed.

Results

There were a significant different between groups with AC joint reconstruction and fixation group (20 vs. 8, p < 0.005) and (19 vs. 10, p < 0.005) in SAC score and Nottingham score, respectively. There were no significant different in CC dstance between two groups. At the last follow up 6 patient develop loss of reduction with CC percentage >50% in AC joint fixation. Complication developed in 5 patients (17%) including 2 mild osteolysis, 1 superficial infection, 1 implant failure, and 1 clavicle fracture.

Conclusion

Anatomic AC joint reconstruction was associated with functional and radiologic benefits and better restored the stability.

Horizontal Instability of the Acromioclavicular Joint: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint are common and should be suspected in patients who have shoulder pain in the region of the acromion and clavicle. Injuries to the AC ligament can cause horizontal instability and are often neglected or underdiagnosed, which can lead to poor patient outcomes.

PURPOSE

To perform a systematic review of the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of horizontal instability of the AC joint.

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review.

METHODS

The authors performed a systematic review using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for studies that investigated diagnosis, treatment, and failure of operative management of acute and chronic AC separations. Studies that did not specifically evaluate AC joint injuries, were not written in English, or were specific only to vertical instability of the AC joint were excluded.

RESULTS

Overall, 23 articles met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in this systematic review. Diagnosing horizontal AC instability is difficult using plain radiographs; dynamic views were shown in some cases to better detect horizontal instability than with static views. More than 60 procedures for treating AC joint injuries have been published, but many focus on vertical rather than horizontal instability. Modifications to current surgical procedures to incorporate reconstruction of the horizontal component showed improved patient outcomes. Such modifications included additional AC joint suture cord cerclage, combined AC and coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction, and the Twin Tail TightRope triple button technique. Failure after surgical stabilization of AC joint separation has been reported to occur in 15% to 80% of cases.

CONCLUSION

No consensus is available regarding the best practices for diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of acute or chronic horizontal instability of the AC joint. Moreover, horizontal instability injuries are often neglected or poorly understood, making diagnosis difficult, which may lead to high complication rates and failure after surgical stabilization.

Acromioclavicular joint augmentation at the time of coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction fails to improve functional outcomes despite significantly improved horizontal stability

PURPOSE

Acromioclavicular joint reconstruction is a well-established and frequently performed procedure. Recent scientific and commercial interest has led to a drive to develop and perform surgical techniques that more reliably restore horizontal stability in order to improve patient outcomes. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the biomechanical evidence for procedures directed at restoring horizontal stability and determine whether they are associated with superior clinical results when compared to well-established procedures.

METHODS

A review of the online databases Medline and EMBASE was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines on the 23rd December 2017. Biomechanical and clinical studies reporting either static or dynamic horizontal displacement following acromioclavicular joint reconstruction (Coracoclavicular reconstruction or Weaver-Dunn) were included. In addition, biomechanical and clinical studies reporting outcomes after additional augmentation of the acromioclavicular joint were included. The studies were appraised using the Methodological index for non-randomised studies tool.

RESULTS

The search strategy identified 18 studies eligible for inclusion: six biomechanical and 12 clinical studies. Comparative biomechanical studies demonstrated that acromioclavicular augmentation provided significantly increased horizontal stability compared to the coracoclavicular reconstruction and Weaver-Dunn procedure. Comparative clinical studies demonstrated no significant differences between coracoclavicular reconstruction with and without acromioclavicular augmentation in terms of functional outcomes (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon and Constant score), complication or revision rates. However, one comparative study did demonstrate an improvement in Taft (p = 0.018) and Acromioclavicular Joint Instability scores (p = 0.0001) after acromioclavicular augmentation.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, coracoclavicular reconstruction with augmentation of the acromioclavicular joint has been shown to provide improved horizontal stability in both biomechanical and clinical studies compared to isolated coracoclavicular reconstruction. However, comparative studies have shown no clinical advantage with respect to American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon or Constant scores and, therefore, the results of this systematic review do not support acromioclavicular augmentation in routine clinical practice.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Minimally Invasive AC Joint Reconstruction System (MINAR®) in Modified Triple-Button Technique for the Treatment of Acute AC Joint Dislocation

Acute acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation is a frequent sports injury with more than 100 different operation methods described. A total of 65 patients with an acute AC joint dislocation were treated with the modified MINAR^® system between 2009 and 2013. Clinical outcome, horizontal and vertical instability, as well as concomitant intraarticular injuries were assessed. We used Zanca, stress and axial X-rays for radiological assessment. A Constant score of 95 (±8.8), University of California Los Angeles Shoulder score (UCLA) of 31 (±4.9), Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) of 9.1 (±14.3), and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of 0.9 (±0.126) was found. A total of 30 patients (59%) had no signs of reduction loss, nine patients (18%) a slight loss, 11 patients (22%) a partial loss, and one patient (2%) a total loss. No significant influence on the clinical scores could be shown. The postoperative coracoclavicular (CC) distance negatively affected the Constant (p = 0.007) and UCLA scores (p = 0.035). A longer time interval to surgery had a negative influence on all scores (p ≤ 0.001). We could not find any signs of persistent horizontal instability or intraarticular injuries at follow-up. The MINAR^® system promises satisfactory functional and radiological results. When setting the correct indication, patients benefit from an early operation. No persisting horizontal instability was observed following suturing of the AC capsule and the delta fascia.

Single coracoclavicular suture fixation with Mersilene tape versus hook plate in the treatment of acute type V acromioclavicular dislocation: a retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Here, we compared the clinical and radiographic outcomes between coracoclavicular (CC) fixation with Mersilene tape and hook plate for acute unstable acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocation treatment.

METHODS

We enrolled 49 patients with unstable acute AC dislocation who, between January 2010 and January 2014, underwent surgery with single CC suture fixation with Mersilene tape (M group, 25 cases) or clavicle hook plate (H group, 24 cases). In M and H groups, the average age was 43.7 (range 18-72) and 42.0 (range 17-84) years, the male to female ratio of each group was 15:20 and 19:5, and the injured side left to right ratio was 12:13 and 11:13, respectively. All patients were right-handed. We retrospectively compared the operation time, complication rate, visual analog scale (VAS), University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder rating scale, Oxford shoulder scores, and the radiographic outcomes based on reduction loss of CC distance on postoperative follow-up.

RESULTS

No significant difference in patient demographics between the two groups in age (p = 0.709), gender (p = 0.217), time from injury to surgery (p = 0.863), and injured side (p = 1.000). The mean follow-up was 26.2 months (range 24-35 months). Nine cases of reduction loss (36%) and one of distal clavicle osteolysis (4%) were noted in the M group. CC distance improvement in the H group was significantly superior to that in the M group at 3 months (before hook plate removal, p < 0.001) and 12 months postoperatively (after hook plate removal, p = 0.004), while subacromial erosions were revealed in nine cases (37.5%) in the H group. No significant difference in operative time (p = 0.846), complication rate (p = 1.000), VAS (p = 0.199), mean UCLA shoulder rating scale (p = 0.353), and Oxford shoulder (p = 0.224) scores between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Both hook plate and Mersilene tape fixations provided temporary stabilization of acute type V AC dislocation and yielded comparable clinical outcomes. The hook plate provided better maintenance of reduction of radiographic outcomes. CC suture fixation with Mersilene tape may serve as an alternative method of stabilization which provides acceptable outcome without the need of implant removal.

A comparison between two double-button endoscopically assisted surgical techniques for the treatment acute acromioclavicular dislocations

PURPOSE

To compare clinical and radiological outcomes between two endoscopically assisted double-button techniques in high-grade acute acromioclavicular separations.

METHODS

A retrospective single-center study was conducted in patients with acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation Rockwood types III and V, from 2009 to 2014. All were treated endoscopically, with a 1-year minimum follow-up. Two consecutive series were conducted; the first (TR group) received the TightRope^® system, whereas last series (DB group) was treated with the Dog Bone^® button technology (Arthrex, Naples, FL, USA). Primary endpoints were last follow-up values of Constant score (CS) and Quick-DASH (QD) score. Moreover, the posttraumatic displacement and its evolution were assessed on bilateral Zanca radiographs. A displacement of 5 mm or greater the day after surgery was considered as a lack of reduction; the same difference on last follow-up X-rays was considered as a loss of reduction.

RESULTS

Forty patients were reviewed: 22 in the TR group and 18 in the DB group. After a mean follow-up of 27.7 ± 8.3 months, CS and QD averaged, respectively, 94.3 ± 4.4 and 2.0 ± 2.6 in the TR series, whereas they averaged, respectively, 95 ± 6.1 and 3.4 ± 3.3 in the DB series after a mean follow-up of 24.1 ± 5 months (PCS = 0.16, PQDS = 0.08). Lack of reduction and loss of reduction rates were significantly higher in the DB group, with P = 0.0005 and P < 0.0001, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Both techniques provided good to excellent functional outcomes. However, considering inferior radiological results using the Dog Bone^® device, we would prefer the TightRope^® device in acute acromioclavicular dislocations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV: Therapeutic study-cases series.