We give a preliminary report of ten patients with fresh dislocations of the acromioclavicular joint (Tossy III). All ten were operated with suture of the torn ligaments and indirect fixation of the acromioclavicular joint with a monocerclage wire passed around the coracoid process and the clavicle. Removal of metal was done 8 weeks later. None of the wires broke, and there were no problems with wound healing. Control X-rays under stress revealed stable acromioclavicular joints in all cases.
If posttraumatic chronic instability of the AC-joint causes subjective complaints, this is an indication for operative therapy. In our unit 38 patients were treated at all. In most cases previous treatment had been conservative. Syndesmoplasty was done with local tissue. 33 patients were examined radiological and clinical after a minimum time of twelve months after operative treatment. The AC-joints of 25 patients were stable, in five cases there was a slight instability, in three cases there was a severe instability. Only with four patients the diminuation of mobility was of consequence.
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