Reconstruction of posterior dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint with nonabsorbable No. 5 ethibond sutures

Abstract

Posterior sternoclavicular joint dislocation (PSCJD) is rare. It is usually due to contact sports or trauma and is often associated with multiple life-threatening complications. We report a case of a Kabaddi player (an Indian contact sport) who was pushed by an opponent and fell on his right shoulder. The patient complained of right shoulder pain and visible deformity over the right sternal area. After initial X-rays, the right posterior dislocation of the sternoclavicular joint was confirmed with computed tomography scan. After the attempts of closed reduction failed, open reduction and internal fixation were done with a double loop of No. 5 ethibond sutures. Excellent results can be achieved in PSCJD using open reduction and reconstruction techniques with double-stranded 5.0 ethibond nonabsorbable sutures.