OBJECTIVETo study the clinical effects of acromiocoracoid ligament transfer to repair coracoclavicular ligament and acromioclavicular ligament in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation of type Tossy III in young patients.

METHODSFrom January 2005 to January 2007, 52 patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocation of type Tossy III were divided into therapeutic group I (32 cases) and therapeutic group II (22 cases). There were 17 males and 13 females with an average age of 31.0 years (ranged, 19 to 40 years) in group I; as well as 12 males and 10 females with an average age of 33.6 years (ranged, 20 to 42 years) in group II. All the patients were fresh injury and the acromioclavicular joint dislocations were type Tossy III according to X-ray findings. The duration from damage to the operation time ranged from 2 to 17 days (averaged, 7.6 days). All the patients had normal shoulder function before injury and were treated with clavicular hook plate implantation. The patients in group II were treated with normal desmorrhaphy method, and the patients in group I were treated with acromiocoracoid ligament transfer to repair coracoclavicular ligament and acromioclavicular ligament. Steel plate was taken out at about 4 to 6 months after clavicular hook plate implantation. The results were evaluated according to Karlsson's standards.

RESULTSAll the incisions healed without infection. The therapeutic effects of 52 patients were evaluated at the 6th month after internal fixation was taken out. Twenty-four patients in group I got an excellent results and 6 good; 17 patients in group II got an excellent results and 5 good. There was no significant difference between the two groups. Twenty-six patients in group I and 19 patients in group II had long-term follow-up, and the duration ranged from 3 to 5 years (averaged, 4.5 years ). Twenty patients in group I got an excellent results and 6 good; 9 patients in group II got an excellent results, 7 good and 3 bad. Three patients in group II had recurrence of acromioclavicular joint dislocation. The long-term therapeutic effects of group I was better than that of group II.

CONCLUSIONAfter clavicular hook plate implantation in treating type Tossy III dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint in young patients, it was necessary to use acromiocoracoid ligament transfer to repair coracoclavicular ligament and acromioclavicular ligament, which can improve the stability of acromioclavicular joint to prevent dislocation recurrence.