Treatment of Acromioclavicular Joint Arthritis

Arthritis of the acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) is commonly identified radiographically although it is often not clinically symptomatic. It may occur in the setting of overuse (as in distal clavicular osteolysis), as a result of injury to the ACJ or as a part of normal aging. For symptomatic ACJ arthritis, treatment is often nonsurgical, although arthroscopic excision of the distal clavicle can be considered in patients with localized pain at the ACJ. This chapter reviews our recommended evaluation as well as our preferred technique for surgical treatment of symptomatic ACJ arthritis.