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Open, arthroscopic distal clavicle excision yield satisfactory results
Robertson WJ. Am J Sports Med. 2011. doi: 10.1177/0363546511419633.
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Open and arthroscopic distal clavicle excision can both offer satisfactory treatment for recalcitrant acromioclavicular joint pain, according to this study from researchers in Texas.
The researchers reviewed 48 patients — accounting for 49 shoulders — who underwent arthroscopic (32) or open (17) distal clavicle excision (DCE) at their institution between January 1999 and September 2006. Mean follow-up for the open group was 5.3 years, with the mean follow-up for the arthroscopic group at 4.2 years.
According to the abstract, the researchers used American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores, Visual Analog Scale pain scores, surgical times and minimum radiographic acromioclavicular joint distance to determine outcomes. Patients also completed questionnaires to determine scar satisfaction, percentage of normal shoulder function and willingness to undergo the surgery again.
The study found through Visual Analog Scale analysis that arthroscopic patients had significantly less pain when compared with the open DCE group at final follow-up, but noted that with regard to other measurement criteria there were no significant differences between the two groups.
Patients with all but one shoulder in each group reported to be satisfied with their scar, with all patients except for one in the arthroscopy group reporting they would have the surgery again.
“At intermediate-term follow-up, [the treatments] provide similarly good to excellent results with regard to patient satisfaction and shoulder function,” the authors wrote. “Although both are effective treatments, less residual pain was found using the arthroscopic technique.”