OBJECTIVETo compare clinical effects of clavicular hook plate fixation, coracoid transplantation, and clavicular hook plate fixation combined with modified dynamic muscle transfer for the treatment of the complete acromioclavicular dislocation.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to November 2009, 65 patients with sustained complete acrominoclavicular dislocation were treated with clavicular hook plate fixation, coracoid transplantation,and clavicular hook plate fixation combined with modified dynamic muscle transfer. All the patients were divided into three groups: 22 patients in group A were treated with clavicular hook plate fixation, including 17 males and 5 females, with an average age of (31.0 +/- 10.0) years; 21 patient in group B were treated with coracoid transplantation, including 16 males and 5 females,with an average age of (33.0 +/- 6.4) years; 22 patients in group C were treated with clavicular hook plate fixation combined with modified dynamic muscle transfer,including 18 males and 4 females, with an average age of (30.0 +/- 5.3) years. Postoperative functional recovery was evaluated by Karlsson criteria.

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, and the duration ranged from half to three years (averaged 1.5 years). In group A, 8 patients got half re-dislocation, 2 patients got complete re-dislocation and arthritis of acromioclavicular joint after internal fixations removal, 1 patient had clavicular hook plate broken after operation. In group B, 7 patients got half re-dislocation, 1 patient got complete re-dislocation,and 5 patients had arthritis of acromioclavicular joint with acute pain and limited shoulder function after internal fixations removal. In group C,2 patients got half re-dislocation, no complete re-dislocation and arthritis of acromioclavicular joint occurred after internal fixations removal. According to Karlsson evaluation, in group A, 12 patients obtained an excellent result, 8 good and 2 poor; in group B, the data were 9, 7 and 5 respectively; in group C, they were 20, 2 and 0 respectively. There were remarkable differences of therapeutic effects between the clavicular hook plate fixation combined with modified dynamic muscle transfer and that with either of the former two treatment methods (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONClavicular hook plate combined with modified dynamic muscle transfer is a reliable and good treatment for the complete acrominoclavicular dislocation, with advantages such as easy to handle,stable fixation and early exercise.