title: POSTEROSUPERIOR SURGICAL ACCESS ROUTE FOR TREATMENT OF ACROMIOCLAVICULAR DISLOCATIONS: RESULTS FROM 84 SURGICAL CASES.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the results from surgical treatment of 84 cases of acute acromioclavicular dislocation, using a posterosuperior access route.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four cases of acute acromioclavicular dislocation (grade III in the Allman-Tossy classification) operated between November 2002 and May 2010 were evaluated. The patients' mean age was 34 years. The diagnoses were made using clinical and radiographic evaluations. The patients were operated by the same surgical team, within three weeks of the date of the trauma, using a posterosuperior approach to the shoulder to access the top of the base of the coracoid process for placement of two anchors, which were used in reducing the dislocation. The minimum follow-up was 12 months. The postoperative clinical-radiographic evaluation was done using the modified Karlsson criteria and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) score.
  
  
  RESULTS
  92.8% of the 84 patients treated presented good or excellent results, and 7.2% presented fair or poor results, using the UCLA assessment score. According to the modified Karlsson criteria, 76.2% were assessed as grade A, 17.9% as grade B and 5.9% as grade C.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The posterosuperior access route to the shoulder is a new option for accessing the coracoid process and treating acromioclavicular dislocation, with clinical and radiographic results equivalent to those in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician, specializing in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danilo Canesin
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Dal Molin
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiano Rebouças
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rômulo Brasil
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.affiliation: Head of the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cantídio Salvador
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Filardi
authors.affiliation: Attending Physician in the Shoulder and Elbow Group, Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antonio Carlos
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tenor
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician, specializing in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Willian Nandi
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Stipp
authors.affiliation: Trainee Physician, specializing in Shoulder and Elbow Surgery at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Clinic, Public Servants' Hospital of the State of São Paulo (HSPE), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Souto Borges
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Petros
keywords: Acromioclavicular Joint/anatomy & histology; Acromioclavicular Joint/injuries; Acromioclavicular Joint/surgery