Arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint resection. An anatomical study.

Distal clavicle resection has been an effective procedure for treatment of acromioclavicular arthritis. The conventional open surgical technique involves deltoid detachment and reattachment, which may cause postoperative weakness and requires protection during the postoperative period to allow for healing. Arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint resection has the theoretical advantages of no deltoid disruption and a shorter rehabilitation period. The purpose of this study was to compare open versus arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint resection in a laboratory setting. The goals of acromioclavicular joint resection in this study were to remove 5 mm of the medial acromion and 10 mm of the distal clavicle. Acromioclavicular joint resections were performed on 10 cadaver shoulders (5 open resections and 5 arthroscopic resections). Open resection was successful at 10 of 15 distal clavicle locations and 14 of 15 medial acromial locations. Arthroscopic resection was successful at 14 of 15 distal clavicle locations and 10 of 15 medial acromial locations. The combined bone resection averaged 14.8 mm (+/- 1.99 mm) for the open technique and 14.8 mm (+/- 2.58 mm) for the arthroscopic technique. The combined bone resection was 1.5 cm or more in all of the measured locations for the open technique and in 14 of 15 measure locations for the arthroscopic technique. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. In the laboratory setting, acromioclavicular joint resection was performed effectively and predictably with arthroscopic instruments. Arthroscopic bone resection was comparable to open bone resection.