Background: The treatment of unstable (Neer type IIB and V) extra-articular distal clavicle fractures remains challenging, especially when encountering a small lateral fragment which does not allow for sufficient screw purchase. It was the purpose of this study to present the clinical and radiologic outcome of a consecutive series of patients treated by a stand-alone coracoclavicular stabilization using a so-called cow-hitch technique with a suture anchor. Methods: Nineteen patients were treated with a specific surgical technique for distal clavicle fractures (11 left, 8 right) with either rupture or bony avulsion of the coracoclavicular ligaments. Fourteen patients were examined in our outpatient clinic for the purpose of this study after a mean follow-up of 5 years (1-12.2 years). The examination included scoring according to Constant Murley score (CMS), the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES), the Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV), and follow-up radiographs. Two additional patients were amenable to a telephone interview. Results: All patients reported very good subjective results, with a mean SSV of 92% and a mean ASES score of 96%. The CMS resulted in average absolute values of 92 points. Fractures consolidated in 95% of cases. One patient developed an asymptomatic pseudarthrosis. The coracoclavicular distance was restored from 21 mm preoperatively to 11 mm at the final follow-up and finally showed an average side-to-side difference of þ1.8 mm. Sports activities were fully resumed after an average of 4.7 months. Conclusion:The coracoclavicular stand-alone cow-hitch suture repair for unstable distal clavicle fractures is a minimally invasive fixation technique without prominent hardware that allows for an anatomic reduction and stable fixation with a low complication and high bony union rate. Both radiographic and clinical long-term results are very satisfactory.

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PurposeTo examine the frequency of computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy sampling errors in chondrosarcomas, as well as the impact of these errors and the achieved surgical margins on local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and disease-specific survival (DSS).Material and methodsA total of 68 consecutive patients treated for chondrosarcoma from 2000–2015 were retrospectively reviewed with a minimum follow-up duration of 2 years.ResultsThe primary location was at the extremities in 46 patients (67.6%) and at the axial skeleton in 22 patients (32.4%). Seven patients underwent planned intralesional curettage. Surgical margins were assessed in the remaining 53 patients and included 21 wide (39.6%), 25 marginal (47.1%), and seven intralesional (13.2%) resections. Biopsy sampling errors occurred in ten patients (14.7%). LRFS was 82.2±7.8% at 5 years and 76.9±7.8% at 10 years. An intact anatomical barrier was associated with the most preferable LRFS of 89±10.5% after 10 years. DSS was 79.2±8.5% at 5 years and 75.5±6.4% at 10 years. The metric distance of the surgical margin and the presence of a biopsy sampling error did not affect either LRFS or DSS.ConclusionEven though histological grading in chondrosarcoma is difficult, sampling errors in preoperative biopsies are relatively rare and do not adversely affect outcomes. The presence of an anatomical barrier has a greater impact on LRFS than the metric distance of the surgical margins.