AANA Fellowship Education - Shoulder Surgery: AC Joint and Clavicle Fractures-Shoulder Surgery: AC Joint and Clavicle Fractures

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The Anna Fellowship Education Series webinar featured an expert panel discussing shoulder surgery, focusing on AC joint and clavicle fractures. The session covered detailed anatomy, injury classification, and treatment options. Dr. Sutton reviewed the complex shoulder anatomy, emphasizing muscular, vascular, and ligamentous structures around the AC joint and clavicle, highlighting risks during surgery including nerve and vessel injury and emphasizing careful surgical planning. Dr. Wittstein presented clavicle fracture management, explaining that midshaft fractures are most common and generally treated non-operatively unless displaced or shortened severely. Surgical options vary between plating and intramedullary fixation, with pros and cons for each. Distal third fractures often require specialized fixation like hook plates or arthroscopic techniques due to their instability from ligament injury. Dr. Korner covered AC joint injuries, explaining that types 1-2 are usually non-operative, while types 3-4 are controversial regarding surgery timing and approach. She noted over 160 surgical techniques exist, underscoring the complexity of treatment decisions which depend on patient activity, symptoms, and goals. The importance of anatomical reconstruction, proper tunnel placement, and addressing horizontal instability with AC capsule repair were stressed. Several clinical cases illustrated treatment challenges, including fixation strategies, imaging, and patient compliance issues. The webinar concluded with surgical pearls, emphasizing individualized care, preoperative planning, and multidisciplinary management in complex shoulder trauma.

Asset Caption

Elizabeth Matzkin, M.D. | Katherine J. Coyner, M.D. | Karen M. Sutton, M.D. | Jocelyn Wittstein, M.D.

Keywords

AC joint

clavicle fractures

shoulder surgery

anatomy

injury classification

treatment options

surgical techniques

fracture management

multidisciplinary care