| OBJECTIVE: To discuss a case of osteolysis of the distal clavicle (ODC) in a 29-year-old male chiropractic student who showed interval radiographic and clinical evidence of healing. CLINICAL FEATURES: The patient complained of intermittent left-sided shoulder pain of 8 months' duration that was exacerbated while performing spinal-manipulative procedures. A radiographic examination showed changes consistent with osteolysis involving the distal clavicle. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: A conservative treatment regimen of physiotherapy, nutritional supplementation, and activity modification resulted in an interval reduction in symptomatology and radiographic findings on serial examinations, ultimately resolving both abnormal clinical and radiographic findings after approximately 14 months of treatment. We specifically observed normalization of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint dimension. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to the posttreatment radiographic outcome seen in our patient, ODC classically does not result in complete resolution of radiographic findings or normalization of AC joint dimension, and such radiographic normalization of joint space is currently not reported in the literature. This case report serves to document and to show this unique occurrence. Click on the above link for the PubMed record for this article; full text by subscription. The abstract is reproduced here with the permission of the publisher.
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