To compare the clinical effect of suture stabilization technique of acromioclavicular ligament combined with clavicular hook plate fixation and total ligament repair technique with loop plates in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation.

From January 2022 to June 2023, 59 patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocation according to inclusion-exclusion criteria were admitted to the Department of Orthopedics Surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and were retrospectively analyzed as well as divided into stitches group and Endobutton group.31 cases were in stitches group, with an average age of 42.3±6.9 years old, including 20 males and 11 females, treated with suture stabilization technique of acromioclavicular ligament combined with clavicular hook plate fixation.28 cases were in Endobutton group, with an average age of 41.8±7.3 years old, including 18 males and 10 females, treated with total ligament repair technique with loop plates, to be specifically, by anatomical double-bundle reconstruction of coracoclavicular ligament and anatomical single-bundle reconstruction of acromioclavicular ligament with Endobutton loop plates.The general situation of operation, hospitalization situation, complications, reduction quality, imaging parameters and Constant-Murley score of shoulder joint function were evaluated between the two groups.

All patients were followed up for 6-15 months with average of 9.6 months.Compared with Endobutton group, stitches group had obvious advantages in operation time, incision length, intraoperative bleeding, hospitalization time and hospitalization expenses, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The reduction quality of stitches group was significantly better than that of Endobutton group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). On the comparison of shoulder joint function score, there were no significant statistical differences between the two groups before operation and 6 months post-operation(P>0.05), however the Constant-Murley score in stitches group was significantly better than that in Endobutton group at the last follow-up after removing internal fixation, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in complications and imaging parameters between the two groups(P>0.05).

The suture stabilization technique of acromioclavicular ligament combined with clavicular hook plate fixation can improve the stability of acromioclavicular joint in all directions, significantly reduce the stress load around acromioclavicular joint and the surgical complications, benefit to the recovery of shoulder joint function and conform to health economics.This treatment method is suggested to be popularized and used in clinic.