AC joint injuries. Non-operative or operative treatment of injuries of the acromioclavicular joint

There is still controversy about the treatment for acute type III acromioclavicular joint dislocation according to Tossy and Rock wood's classification. Good functional results were reported on following operative and non-operative treatment. According to the literature the functional outcome is similar. Following surgical repair, however, complications occur more often and the period of rehabilitation is longer. The disadvantages of non-operative treatment include a higher rate of a persisting prominence of the distal clavicle. Currently available data in the literature indicate that based on the criteria of evidence based medicine non-operative treatment seems to represent the method of choice for type III injuries of the acromioclavicular joint.