Minimally Invasive Techniques for the Treatment of Acute and Chronic Acromioclavicular Joint Instabilities

Abstract

Acromioclavicular joint instabilities are one of the most common injuries of the shoulder girdle. Diagnostic measures include the vertical and horizontal components of instability. The main goals of treatment include pain reduction, joint stabilization, and return to physical activity. For operative treatment, there are numerous techniques available. Recently, minimally-invasive techniques were developed and showed equal results as with open approach. These procedures facilitate simultaneous treatment of concomitant shoulder lesions and reduce soft tissue trauma as well as the risk of infection. This article presents an overview of such minimally-invasive techniques for both acute and chronic instabilities. Both techniques address the aspect of horizontal instability, which was found to compromise clinical results. For an acute injury, we describe the use of a low-profile button system combined with an additional acromioclavicular cerclage. In the chronic setting with a bidirectional (vertical and horizontal) instability, a free tendon graft combined with a single TightRope augmentation is recommended.