The Outcomes of Hook Plate Fixation in Acromioclavicular Injuries

Background: the acromioclavicular joint (acj) connects the clavicle and scapula, ensuring shoulder girdle coordination. in subacute injuries, acromioclavicular and coracoclavicular ligaments retain healing potential and often require surgical treatment to repair the tissue. the clavicular hook plate, fixed to the back of the acj after reduction, prevents redislocation. objectives: this study aims to investigate the suitability of hook plate surgery without ligament reconstruction in patients with subacute acj. methods: a retrospective cohort study was conducted on 38 patients with subacute acj injuries treated with a hook plate without reconstruction. demographic data, injuries, timing of surgery, and infection history were collected. eligible patients were contacted for final assessment. results: most patients were men (86.84%), with a mean age of 41 years. surgery was predominantly on the dominant hand (63.16%). the mean shoulder range of motion (rom) was 157.89° for forward flexion, 153.95° for abduction, and 50.79° for external rotation. the highest pain was in the first six weeks (70%). over 80% of the patients had no post-surgery infection, and 97% did not require re-surgery. no significant statistical relationship was found between pain intensity and other variables (p>0.05). men reported clinically higher pain levels. younger patients (<45 years) had significantly better rom (p<0.05). conclusion: the present study showed that hook plate fixation was effective for subacute acj injuries, with better outcomes in patients ≤45 years old.