Acromioclavicular dislocation: postoperative evaluation of the coracoclavicular ligaments using magnetic resonance.

OBJECTIVE: To radiologically evaluate the healing of the coracoclavicular ligaments after surgical treatment for acromioclavicular dislocation.

METHODS: Ten patients who had undergone surgical treatment for acromioclavicular dislocation via a posterosuperior route at least one year earlier were invited to return for radiological assessment using magnetic resonance. This evaluation was done by means of analogy with the scale described in the literature for studying the healing of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee and for measuring the healed coracoclavicular ligaments.

RESULTS: A scar structure of fibrous appearance had formed in 100% of the cases. In 50% of the cases, the images of this structure had a good appearance, while the other 50% were deficient.

CONCLUSION: Late postoperative evaluation using magnetic resonance, on patients who had been treated for acute acromioclavicular dislocation using a posterosuperior route in the shoulder, showed that the coracoclavicular ligaments had healed in 100% of the cases, but that this healing was deficient in 50%.