Table 2: All complications reported in trials comparing operative and nonoperative interventions

Study	Operative group n = 340		Nonoperative group n = 345
Study	Complication*	No.of patients	Complication*	No.of patients
COTS¹⁰	Operative procedure	9	Operative procedure	18
	Symptomatic nonunion	2	Neurologic symptoms	7
	Neurologic symptoms	8	Complex regional pain syndrome	1
	Abnormality of AC or SC joint	2	Abnormality of AC or SC joint	3
	Other†	2	Other†	2
Figueiredo et al.³¹	Symptomatic nonunion	2	Symptompatic nonunion	1
Figueiredo et al.³¹	Implant failure	1	Adhesive capsulitis	2
Judd et al.³²	Operative procedure	6	Operative procedure	1
	Refracture	1	Refracture	1
	Wound infection	3
	Neurologic symptoms	1
Koch et al.³³	NR		NR
Mirzatolooei et al.³⁴	Operative procedure	2	Symptomatic malunion	19
	Symptomatic malunion	4	Neurologic symptoms	2
	Early mechanical failure	1
Robinson et al.⁵	Operative procedure	16	Operative procedure	17
	Wound infection	2	Rotator cuff impingement	1
	Wound dehiscence	1
	Rotator cuff impingement	2
Smekal et al.³⁵	Operative procedure	9	Operative procedure	5
Smekal et al.³⁵			Neurologic symptoms	3
Virtanen et al.³⁶	Refracture	1	Operative procedure	1
	Early mechanical failure	1	Symptomatic malunion	2
	Hardware irritation	1	Refracture	2
Total		77		88

Note: AC = acromioclavicular, NR = not reported, SC = sternoclavicular.

*Operative procedure = complication that was severe and consequently required secondary operation.

†Not described.