OBJECTIVETo investigate clinical results of AO clavicular hook plate for the treatment of fresh Tossy type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

METHODSFrom December 2006 to December 2008, 28 patients with fresh Tossy type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation were treated with AO clavicular hook plates. There were 23 males and 5 females. The average age at surgery were 46.4 years (ranged, 22 to 68 years). The average time from suffering injuries to the operation was 3.9 days(ranged, 1 to 21 days). And the average time from the operation to plate removal was 9.4 months(ranged, 6 to 22 months).

RESULTSAll the patients were followed up, the duration ranged from 6 to 24 months, with an average of 15 months. There was 1 patient with traumatic arthritis, 1 patient with plate fracture. And the others had good results without fracture and re-dislocation after operation. According to Karlsson standards, 21 patients got an excellent result, 6 good and 1 poor. Eight patients had pain and restricted activities in shoulder joints before the plate removal, and all the symptoms were catabatic after removing the clavicular hook plates. After exercise, the function of the shoulder joints achieved normal level.

CONCLUSIONClavicular hook plate used for the fresh Tossy type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation has advantages such as simple operation, little wound, less blood loss and early exercises.