ACROMIOCLAVICULAR SEPARATION - RECONSTRUCTION USING SYNTHETIC LOOP AUGMENTATION

A total of 110 patients with a diagnosis of acromioclavicular joint se paration were seen at our clinic between 1986 and 1991. Of these, 14 p atients (12.7%) with grade III, IV, or V injuries required surgical re construction and were examined 2 years after surgery. All 14 patients underwent acromioclavicular reconstruction using a synthetic loop pass ed through drill holes in the base of the coracoid and the anterior th ird of the clavicle. When the loop is tightened, the clavicle is reduc ed anatomically without the anterior subluxation caused by simple clav icular cerclage. At an average followup of 44.2 months, patients were evaluated using the University of California, Los Angeles, rating scal e. Twelve of the 14 had good or excellent results and returned to norm al sport and work activities at 6 months. Of the two initial poor resu lts, one required revision 1 month postoperatively because the patient was noncompliant, and the other required manipulation under anesthesi a 3 months after surgery. The results in these two patients at 2 years were good and excellent, respectively. We concluded that, when medica lly indicated, fixation of the clavicle to the coracoid using this tec hnique yields satisfactory results in an athletic population.