Position of the acromioclavicular joint and relation to the critical shoulder angle in shoulders with rotator cuff tears

Hannes Kubo; Fariha Piela; Thilo Patzer; Markus Konieczny; Erik Schiffner; Pascal Jungbluth; Rüdiger Krauspe; Martin Hufeland

doi:10.1016/j.jor.2020.03.046

Position of the acromioclavicular joint and relation to the critical shoulder angle in shoulders with rotator cuff tears

J Orthop. 2020 Mar 28:21:232-235. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2020.03.046. eCollection 2020 Sep-Oct.

Authors

Hannes Kubo¹, Fariha Piela¹, Thilo Patzer², Markus Konieczny¹, Erik Schiffner¹, Pascal Jungbluth¹, Rüdiger Krauspe¹, Martin Hufeland¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, University Hospital of Duesseldorf, Moorenstraße 5, 40225, Duesseldorf, Germany.
² Centre for Shoulder, Elbow, Knee and Sports Orthopaedics, Schön Klinik, Am Heerdter Krankenhaus 2, 40549, Duesseldorf, Germany.

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the position of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) and relation to the critical shoulder angle (CSA) in shoulders with rotator cuff tears (RCT).

Methods: In a matched pair study including 75 shoulders with arthroscopically validated RCT and 75 controls (mean age 59.4 ± 7.9 years) the position of the ACJ in relation to the glenoid and the CSA were measured on true ap radiographs.

Results: The CSA is larger (p = 0.0018) and the position of the ACJ is more lateral (p = 0.0016) in shoulders with RCT in comparison to matched controls.

Conclusion: The more lateral position of the ACJ in shoulders with a large CSA might be an additional component in the multifactorial pathogenesis of RCT.

Keywords: Acromioclavicular joint; Arthroscopy; Critical shoulder angle; Rotator cuff tear.