High Prevalence of Superior Labral Anterior-Posterior Tears Associated With Acute Acromioclavicular Joint Separation of All Injury Grades.

Background: Despite the relatively high number of cases of acromioclavicular joint (AC) separation in the athletic population, optimal clinical outcomes are not achieved in every case. Limited data exist regarding the prevalence of intra-articular glenohumeral pathologies (IAPs) associated with acute AC separation of all injury grades.

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of IAPs associated with AC separation, regardless of severity.

Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods: A total of 62 patients (mean age, 37.6 years) with acute AC separation were included in this study; 41 were nonoverhead recreational athletes. All patients underwent magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) to evaluate for IAPs. Arthroscopic data from patients undergoing surgical treatment were correlated with MRA results.

Results: Patients sustained acute AC separation of Rockwood grade 1 (16.1%), grade 2 (46.8%), grade 3 (25.8%), and grade 4 (11.3%). A concomitant IAP was present in 48 of 62 (77.4%) patients and included superior labral anterior-posterior tears (72.6%), anterior labral tears (24.2%), posterior labral tears (4.8%), supraspinatus tears (3.2%), and inferior glenohumeral ligament ruptures (1.6%). There were 18 (29.0%) patients who had a concomitant pathology in >1 intra-articular structure (combined IAPs). Additionally, 71.8% of patients with grade 1 and 2 AC separation had associated IAPs, and 23.1% had combined IAPs. Furthermore, in patients younger than 40 years, 64.0% of those with grade 1 to 3 AC separation demonstrated associated labral pathologies. There was no difference when comparing age or severity of AC separation and the prevalence of concomitant labral tears ( = .36 and .22, respectively).

Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of IAPs among patients undergoing MRA after AC separation. While an IAP has been described in association with high-grade AC separation previously, the high prevalence of IAPs in low-grade separation in our study was unexpected and suggests that a thorough evaluation and clinical follow-up for patients with all grades of AC separation may be beneficial.