Clinical and radiologic outcomes of surgical and conservative treatment of type III acromioclavicular joint injury

The management of acute acromioclavicular joint dislocations is controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of posttraumatic anatomic alterations after surgical or conservative treatment of type III injuries and to analyze their effect on the outcome. Forty-three patients were evaluated retrospectively, clinically and radiographically, at a 12-month minimum follow-up. Thirty-two were treated surgically, using the Phemister technique, and 11 had conservative treatment. A comparison of the overall clinical results in both groups showed no statistically significant differences. The acromioclavicular joint was anatomically reduced in only half of the surgical patients. Those shoulders treated surgically showed a significantly higher incidence of osteoarthritis and coracoclavicular ligament ossification. Differences in clavicular deformity or osteolysis were not significant. None of these abnormalities had any influence on the clinical result. Because operative and conservative treatments achieve equally good clinical results and surgery carries a higher risk of osteoarthritis, we recommend managing this injury conservatively.