Reliability of the Traditional Classification Systems for Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries by Radiography

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 266-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chye Yew Ng ◽  
Emma Kate Smith ◽  
Lennard Funk

Background The present study aimed to examine the reliability of the radiographic classification systems for acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries. Methods We initially polled 47 orthopaedic surgeons regarding what common technique they used for applying the Rockwood and the Tossy and Allman classification systems. All used a single standard AC joint view (Zanca view). We then presented 24 Zanca view radiographs of patients who had sustained AC joint injuries to 19 specialist shoulder surgeons and asked each of them to classify the injuries using the Rockwood and the Tossy and Allman classification systems. We then altered the order of radiographs and repeated the survey with the same group of surgeons 1 month later. Results The mean inter-observer agreement and the corresponding weighted kappa for the Rockwood and the Tossy and Allman classification system were 64.6% and 0.258; and 68.1% and 0.309, respectively. The mean intra-observer agreement and the corresponding weighted kappa for the systems were 59.4% and 0.150; and 67.4% and 0.113, respectively. Conclusions We conclude that the classification of AC joint injuries using a radiograph alone has limited reliability and consistency in clinical practice.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 232596711988453 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas N. Muench ◽  
Cameron Kia ◽  
Aulon Jerliu ◽  
Matthew Murphy ◽  
Daniel P. Berthold ◽  
...  

Background: Acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation is a common injury. The anatomic coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction (ACCR) technique is a viable treatment option, designed to restore the native joint anatomy. Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients undergoing ACCR for the treatment of type III and V AC joint injuries with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on prospectively collected data. Patients who underwent ACCR for type III or V AC joint injuries between January 2003 and December 2015 were analyzed. Clinical outcome measures included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Rowe score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and Constant-Murley (CM) score. To determine the clinical relevance of the ASES score, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) were used. The pre- and postoperative coracoclavicular distance (CCD) and side-to-side difference in the CCD were measured for radiographic analysis. Results: A total of 43 patients (22 acute, 21 chronic) were included in the study. The mean patient age was 43.4 ± 11.4 years, with a mean follow-up of 3.4 years (range, 2.0-7.5 years). With regard to the ASES score, 92% of patients achieved the MCID, 81% achieved the SCB, and 49% reached or exceeded the PASS. There was no significant difference when stratifying by type (III vs V) or chronicity (acute vs chronic) of injury (both P > .05). The Rowe score improved from 66.6 ± 15.9 preoperatively to 88.6 ± 12.3 postoperatively, the CM score from 61.6 ± 18.8 to 87.4 ± 15.1, and the SST score from 6.2 ± 3.6 to 9.4 ± 3.7 (all P < .001). The postoperative side-to-side difference in the CCD was 3.1 ± 2.7 mm, with type III injuries (2.4 ± 1.9 mm) showing significantly lower measurements compared with type V (4.2 ± 3.4 mm) ( P = .02). No significant trend was found between joint reduction and the improvement in clinical outcomes ( P > .05). Conclusion: Patients undergoing ACCR for acute and chronic type III and V AC joint injuries maintained significant improvement in clinical and radiographic outcomes at a minimum 2-year follow-up. Additionally, 81% of patients reached the SCB after surgical reconstruction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 209-214
Author(s):  
Radhakrishnan Pattu ◽  
Girinivasan Chellamuthu ◽  
Kumar Sellappan ◽  
Chendrayan Kamalanathan

Background: The treatment for acromioclavicular joint injuries (ACJI) ranges from a conservative approach to extensive surgical reconstruction, and the decision on how to manage these injuries depends on the grade of acromioclavicular (AC) joint separation, resources, and skill availability. After a thorough review of the literature, the researchers adopted a simple cost-effective technique of AC joint reconstruction for acute ACJI requiring surgery.Methods: This was a prospective single-center study conducted between April 2017 and April 2018. For patients with acute ACJI more than Rockwood grade 3, the researchers performed open corococlavicular ligament reconstruction using synthetic sutures along with an Endobutton and a figure of 8 button plate. This was followed by AC ligament repair augmenting it with temporary percutaneous AC K-wires. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the Constant Murley shoulder score. Results: Seventeen patients underwent surgery. The immediate postoperative radiograph showed an anatomical reduction of the AC joint dislocation in all patients. During follow-up, one patient developed subluxation but was asymptomatic. The mean follow-up period was 30 months (range, 24–35 months). The mean Constant score at 24 months was 95. No AC joint degeneration was noted in follow-up X-rays. The follow-up X-rays showed significant infra-clavicular calcification in 11 of the 17 patients, which was an evidence of a healed coracoclavicular ligament post-surgeryConclusions: This study presents a simple cost-effective technique with a short learning curve for anatomic reconstruction of acute ACJI. The preliminary results have been very encouraging.


2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (11) ◽  
pp. 57-58
Author(s):  
Robert J. Johnson ◽  
Kim Harmon ◽  
Aaron Rubin

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (7_suppl6) ◽  
pp. 2325967120S0041
Author(s):  
Prem Ramkumar ◽  
Salvatore Frangiamore ◽  
Grant Jones ◽  
Lonnie Soloff ◽  
Keshia Pollack ◽  
...  

Objectives: Shoulder injuries account for a large portion of all recorded injures in professional baseball. Much is known about other shoulder pathologies in the overhead athlete, but the incidence and impact of acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries in this population is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence, rates, and characteristics of AC joint injuries in professional baseball, and determine the impact on time missed. Methods: The Major League Baseball Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) was used to compile records of all major and minor league player from 2011-2017 with documented AC joint injuries. These injuries were classified as acute (sprain or separation) or chronic (AC joint arthritis or distal clavicular osteolysis), and associated data included laterality, date of injury, player position, activity, mechanism of injury, length of return to play (RTP), and need for surgical intervention. Results: A total of 312 AC joint injuries (183 MiLB, 129 MLB; range 39-60 per year) were recorded (acute n=201, 64.4%; chronic n=111, 35.6%). A total of 81% of acute injuries resulted in time missed with an average RTP of 22.8 days whereas 59% of chronic injuries resulted in days missed with an average RTP of 32.2 days (p<0.001). Acute injuries occurred most commonly in outfielders (42.7%), followed by infielders (27.3%). Chronic injuries were seen in higher proportions among pitchers and catchers (45.5-56.4% chronic injuries). Acute AC injuries occurred most often while playing defense (n=100; 49.8%) in the infield or outfield (n=138; 68.7%), with 63.2% the result of a contact injury. Chronic AC joint injuries were most commonly with throwing or pitching (n=48; 43.2%) and non-contact injuries (n=79; 71.2%). Conclusion: Acute AC joint injuries are contact injuries occurring most commonly among infielders and outfielders that result in more than 3 weeks missed before return to play whereas chronic AC joint injuries occur more commonly in pitchers and catchers from repetitive overhead activity. Knowledge of these data can better guide expectation management in this elite population to better elucidate the prevalence of two common injury patterns in the acromioclavicular joint.


2018 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 1070-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael B. Banffy ◽  
Carlos Uquillas ◽  
Julie A. Neumann ◽  
Neal S. ElAttrache

Background: An anatomic double-tunnel (DT) reconstruction technique has been widely adopted to reconstruct the ruptured coracoclavicular (CC) ligaments seen with high-grade acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries. However, the anatomic DT reconstruction has been associated with the risk of clavicle fractures, which may be problematic, particularly for contact athletes. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to compare a single-tunnel (ST) CC ligament reconstruction for AC joint injuries with the native state as well as with the more established anatomic DT CC ligament reconstruction. The hypothesis was that ST CC ligament reconstruction would demonstrate biomechanical properties similar to those of the native state and the DT CC ligament reconstruction. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Eighteen fresh-frozen human cadaveric shoulders (9 matched pairs) with mean ± SD age of 55.5 ± 8.5 years underwent biomechanical testing. One specimen of each matched pair underwent a ST CC ligament reconstruction and the second, a DT CC ligament reconstruction. The ST and DT CC ligament reconstruction techniques involved a 5-mm distal clavicle excision, avoided coracoid drilling, and utilized a 3.0-mm suture anchor to fix the excess lateral limb to reconstruct the superior AC joint capsule. The ST CC ligament reconstruction technique additionally included a 1.3-mm suture tape to help avoid a sawing effect, as well as a dog-bone button over the clavicular tunnel to increase stability of the construct. All specimens were tested to 70 N in 3 directions (superior, anterior, and posterior) in the intact and reconstructed states. The ultimate load, yield load, stiffness, and mode of failure of the reconstructed specimens were tested. Results: There were no significant differences in translation at 70 N in the superior ( P = .31), anterior ( P = .56), and posterior ( P = .35) directions between the ST CC ligament reconstruction and the intact state. The ultimate load to failure, yield load, and stiffness in the ST and DT groups were also not significantly different. There were no distal clavicle fractures in load-to-failure testing in the ST or DT group. Conclusion: In this biomechanical study, ST CC ligament reconstruction demonstrates biomechanical properties comparable to the intact state. Additionally, use of the ST CC ligament reconstruction shows biomechanical properties similar to the DT CC ligament reconstruction technique while theoretically posing less risk of clavicle fracture. Clinical Relevance: This study suggests that the ST CC ligament reconstruction has biomechanical properties equivalent to the DT CC ligament reconstruction with less theoretical risk of clavicle fracture.


2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 504-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianna M. Aliberti ◽  
Matthew J. Kraeutler ◽  
Jeffrey D. Trojan ◽  
Mary K. Mulcahey

Background: Injuries to the acromioclavicular (AC) joint are common and should be suspected in patients who have shoulder pain in the region of the acromion and clavicle. Injuries to the AC ligament can cause horizontal instability and are often neglected or underdiagnosed, which can lead to poor patient outcomes. Purpose: To perform a systematic review of the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of horizontal instability of the AC joint. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: The authors performed a systematic review using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed and EMBASE were searched for studies that investigated diagnosis, treatment, and failure of operative management of acute and chronic AC separations. Studies that did not specifically evaluate AC joint injuries, were not written in English, or were specific only to vertical instability of the AC joint were excluded. Results: Overall, 23 articles met the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in this systematic review. Diagnosing horizontal AC instability is difficult using plain radiographs; dynamic views were shown in some cases to better detect horizontal instability than with static views. More than 60 procedures for treating AC joint injuries have been published, but many focus on vertical rather than horizontal instability. Modifications to current surgical procedures to incorporate reconstruction of the horizontal component showed improved patient outcomes. Such modifications included additional AC joint suture cord cerclage, combined AC and coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction, and the Twin Tail TightRope triple button technique. Failure after surgical stabilization of AC joint separation has been reported to occur in 15% to 80% of cases. Conclusion: No consensus is available regarding the best practices for diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of acute or chronic horizontal instability of the AC joint. Moreover, horizontal instability injuries are often neglected or poorly understood, making diagnosis difficult, which may lead to high complication rates and failure after surgical stabilization.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596712094703
Author(s):  
Daniel P. Berthold ◽  
Lukas N. Muench ◽  
Knut Beitzel ◽  
Simon Archambault ◽  
Aulon Jerliu ◽  
...  

Background: Revision surgery in cases of previously failed primary acromioclavicular (AC) joint stabilization remains challenging mainly because of anatomic alterations or technical difficulties. However, anatomic coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction (ACCR) has been shown to achieve encouraging biomechanical, clinical, and radiographic short-term to midterm results. Purpose: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic long-term outcomes of patients undergoing revision ACCR after failed operative treatment for type III through V AC joint injuries with a minimum 10-year follow-up. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on prospectively collected data within an institutional shoulder registry. Patients who underwent revision ACCR for type III through V AC joint injuries between January 2003 and December 2009 were analyzed. Clinical outcome measures included the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST), and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE). The coracoclavicular distance (CCD) was measured for radiographic analysis immediately postoperatively and at last postoperative follow-up. Results: A total of 8 patients with a mean age at the time of surgery of 44.6 ± 10.6 years and a mean follow-up of 135.0 ± 17.4 months (range, 120-167 months) were eligible for inclusion in the study. The time from initial AC joint stabilization until revision surgery was 10.2 ± 12.4 months (range, 0.5-36 months); 62.5% of the patients had undergone more than 2 previous AC joint surgical procedures. The ASES score improved from 43.9 ± 22.4 preoperatively to 80.6 ± 28.8 postoperatively ( P = .012), the SST score improved from 4.4 ± 3.6 preoperatively to 11.0 ± 2.2 postoperatively ( P = .017), and the SANE score improved from 31.4 ± 27.3 preoperatively to 86.9 ± 24.1 postoperatively ( P = .018) at final follow-up. There was no significant difference in the CCD ( P = .08) between the first (7.6 ± 3.0 mm) and final (10.6 ± 2.8 mm) radiographic follow-up (mean, 50.5 ± 32.7 months [range, 18-98 months]). Conclusion: Patients undergoing revision ACCR after failed operative treatment for type III through V AC joint injuries maintained significant improvement in clinical outcomes at a minimum 10-year follow-up.


2013 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 780-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Vishwanathan ◽  
A. Hearnden ◽  
S. Talwalkar ◽  
M. Hayton ◽  
S. R. Murali ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to measure inter- and intra-observer agreement on the radiographic classification of scapholunate advanced collapse (SLAC) and scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse (SNAC) wrist. Radiographs of 41 patients with SLAC wrist and 47 patients with SNAC wrist were graded on two separate occasions by four orthopaedic consultants specializing in hand and wrist surgery. Inter-observer agreement was evaluated using the multi-rater kappa value. Landis and Koch criteria were used to assess the level of agreement. Intra-observer agreement was tested by re-grading the radiographs after an interval of 2 to 4 weeks and calculating the weighted kappa value. For SLAC wrist, the inter-observer agreement was moderate (kappa value = 0.59) and intra-observer agreement substantial (kappa value = 0.65). For SNAC wrist, the inter-observer agreement was slight (kappa value = 0.20) and intra-observer agreement was fair (kappa value = 0.29). Radiographic classification of SLAC wrist has moderate reliability and reproducibility, whereas classification of SNAC wrist has limited reliability.


2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 68-75
Author(s):  
Timo Stübig ◽  
Torsten Jähnisch ◽  
Maximilian Petri ◽  
Nael Hawi ◽  
Christian Zeckey ◽  
...  

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