Acromioclavicular Joint Dislocation Failed Fixation

Most injuries to the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) can be managed non-operatively with good functional outcome. However, there are certain grades of injuries, where operative intervention provides the patient with a better chance of regaining good function in the upper limb. Different surgical techniques have been developed describing how to treat ACJ dislocations, and they can involve open and arthroscopic techniques, or a combination of both. Metalwork, sutures and graft (autogenous or allograft) have all been used to reconstruct these injuries. Nonetheless, like all operative interventions, this type of surgery is not without its risks. This chapter uses a case of ACJ reconstruction failure to illustrate the common methods of failure and other complications and provide thought processes and surgical techniques that can be used as options for treatment following fixation failure.