Ultrasonography for intraoperative control of the amount of bone resection in arthroscopic acromioclavicular joint resection.

Abstract

Remaining superior osteophytes or osseous spurs after arthroscopic lateral clavicle resection can cause persistent pain and could lead to revision surgery. A new method of intraoperative ultrasonographic imaging of the result of the operation during arthroscopic lateral clavicle resection is presented. In 10 patients with acromioclavicular arthritis, standardized arthroscopic lateral clavicle resection was performed. Intraoperatively, the space between the clavicle and the acromion was measured before and after arthroscopic acromioclavicular resection using a Sonosite 180 plus (SonoSite, Bothell, WA) with a 10-MHz broadband linear array in a sterile bag. The width of the joint space between the clavicle and the acromion was between 0.38 and 0.56 cm before operation and 0.92 cm and 1.28 cm after operation (nine cases). In one case, the anticipated minimum resection of 0.5 cm was not achieved at the sonographic measurement and further resection was required. Real-time ultrasonography allows exact measurement of the amount of resected bone during arthroscopic lateral clavicle resection. This could avoid revision surgery resulting from persisting disability caused by insufficient or extensive bone resection.