OBJECTIVETo compare the clinical effect of Endobutton plates combined with an anchor and clavicle hook plate in the treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation.

METHODSFrom January 2012 to August 2014, 83 patients with Rockwood type III acromioclavicular dislocation underwent surgical treatments. Among them, 34 patients were treated with Endobutton plate and anchor repair(Endobutton group), including 23 males and 11 females, and the mean age was(39.0±6.3) years old (26 to 51 years old); the average time from injury to operation was(4.1±1.3) days(3 to 7 days);the injured side:14 left, 20 right; the dislocation in 28 patients dues to fall, 6 patients dues traffic accident. There were 49 patients treated with clavicular hook plate(hook plate group), including 33 males and 16 females;the mean age was(37.9±6.3) years old (27 to 53 years old); the average time from injury to operation was(4.1±1.1) days (2 to 7 days);the injured side: 18 left, 31 right;the dislication in 36 patients dues to fall, 13 patients dues traffic accidents. The indexes such as intraoperative bleeding volume, operation time, incision size, postoperative complication and postoperative coracoclavicular space, shoulder joint function, and life quality were compared between two groups.

RESULTSIn the hook plate group with 49 patients, the plates in 43 patients were removed at the secondary operation, and 32 patients had shoulder pain or limited active range. Thirty four patients in the Endobutton group had no pain symptoms and limited active range. All the patients did not suffer acromioclavicular dislocation again. There was no significant difference between the two groups in operation time, and intraoperative bleeding volume(>0.05). The incision length in the hook plate group was longer than that in Endobutton group(<0.05). The coracoclavicular space of the uninjured and injured side in two groups respectively had no significant differences, and the coracoclavicular space in the injured side between two group had no significant difference(>0.05). There were no significant differences of Constant score and SF-36 between two groups 2 months after operation(>0.05). Sixteen months after operation, the Constant score in the injured side of both groups was higher than that in 2 months postoperative. But the Constant score in the injured side of hook plate group was higher than that in Endobutton group(<0.05). The Constant score in the uninjured side had no significant differences between two group(>0.05). In hook plate group, the Constant score in the uninjured side was higher than that in the injured side. In Endobutton group, there were no significant differences of Constant score between two sides. The 16 month postoperative SF-36 in the injured side of both groups was higher than the 2 month postoperative one, but 16 month postoperative SF-36 in hook plate group was lower than that in Endobutton group (<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEndobutton plate combined with an anchor can effectively fix Rockwood type III or more acute acromioclavicular dislocation. The method has less complications, avoiding secondary removal of internal fixation.