Left Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation and Repair

SKU: S15a003

This exhibit depicts the anterior anatomy of the shoulder with dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint and subsequent repair. The acromioclavicular joint is located at the top of the shoulder where the distal end of the clavicle and the acromion process meet. The three stabilizing ligaments of the joint are the acromioclavicular ligament, the coracoacromial ligament, and the coracoclavicular ligament. Acromioclavicular joint dislocation (also known as shoulder separation) occurs when the clavicle and acromion are traumatically separated from each other, often injuring one or more of the joint’s stabilizing ligaments. Acromioclavicular joint dislocations may be managed through surgical intervention, such as a modified Weaver-Dunn procedure. In this procedure, an injured coracoclavicular ligament is replaced by transferring the coracoacromial ligament to the clavicle. An incision is made over the anterior acromioclavicular joint. A distal claviculectomy is then performed, removing the distal 2 cm of the clavicle. Three holes are drilled in the clavicle, and the distal end is hollowed out with a curette. The coracoacromial ligament is removed from its acromial attachment, passed into the hollowed end of the clavicle, and sutured into place. A suture is then wrapped around the coracoid process and passed through a drill hole in the clavicle to reinforce the repair.