Result of Wolter Plate Fixation for the Treatment of Dislocation of Acromioclavicular Joint and Clinical Importance of Coracoclavicular Ligament Repair

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical result of the Wolter plate fixation for the acromioclavicular joint dislocation and the necessity of coracoclavicular ligament repair with the operation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty three patients operated between January 2003 to September 2005 with over 6 months of follow-up period were studied. The Constant-Murley scoring system was administered on 6 months postoperatively and stress films were taken for the surveillance of acromioclavicular joint and coracoclavicular distance after plate removal. All patients were classified into two groups in that coracoclavicular ligament was repaired (10 cases) or not (13 cases) and the clinical indices described above were compared. RESULTS: With the Wolter plate fixation for the acromioclavicular joint dislocations, 20 cases of Constant-Murley scores were more than 'good' except complicated 3 cases. The scores of the repaired group were 7 cases of excellent, 2 cases of good and 1 case of moderate to poor, and that of not-repaired group were 6 cases, 5 cases and 2 cases respectively. With mean coracoclavicular interspace on x-ray at postoperative 6 months, repaired group showed residual 9% of displacement from initial 194% but not-repaired group showed 28% from initial 188%. There's no statistically significant difference in clinical scores between two group (p=0.072) and neither was residual coracoclavicular interspace displacement (p=0.067). CONCLUSION: Short term follow-up of Wolter plate fixation for the acromioclavicular dislocation showed acceptable clinical results and there was no statistically significant difference between two groups of repaired coracoclavicular ligaments and not repaired.