COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF AUTOGRAFT TECHNIQUE AND CLAVICULAR HOOK PLATE IN GRADE 3 ACROMIOCLAVICULAR DISLOCATIONS

OBJECTIVE To evaluate clinical outcome of clavicular hook plate and autograft technique in the surgical treatment of Rockwood Grade-III acromioclavicular joint dislocation. METHODS Fifteen patients were operated using standard clavicular hook plate and another fifteen patients were operated using autograft technique. After a minimum follow-up of one year, clinical assessment was done using Constant-Murley Score. Statistical evaluation was done using SPSS ver. 21.0. RESULTS Mean age group was 31.44+/-7.8 years. Average constant shoulder score for the hook plate group was 81.3 (Range 74-89) and that for autograft technique group was 91.7 (Range 88-97). CONCLUSION Autograft technique was found to be superior in terms of functional outcome when compared to clavicular hook plate. Such superiority can be attributed to the biologic nature of coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction in the autograft technique.