Total Elbow Arthroplasty for the Ankylotic or Painful Elbow

Yoo, Myung Chul; Rhee, Youg Girl; Cho, Yoon Je; Sun, Seung Deok; Lee, Geon Hee

Abstract

We evaluated the results of twelve total elbow arthroplasties that had been performed from Feb. 1986 to Mar. 1993 in ten patients. The duration of follow-up averaged three years two months(range, one year to seven years one month). There were six females and four males. Two females had bilateral procedures. The average age at the time of the operation was 35.3 years(range, 22 to 53). Five patients had severe rheumatoid arthritis, four patients had fracture sequelae around elbows and one patient had sequele of tuberculous arthritis. Total elbow arthroplasty had been performed for improving the range of motion and relief of pain. Total elbow arthroplasties had been performed in six cases of total ankylotic elbows and in six cases who complained severe painful limitation of motion of the elbow joints. Preoperatively, ankylotic group were fixed by 30 degrees of flexion on an average. In painful elbow group, the average total range of motion was 68 degrees. The prosthesis which were used in total elbow arthroplasties were semiconstrained type in nine cases and noncostrained in three cases. Most of the patients had relief of pain. Postoperative complications were permanent ulnar nerve palsy in one case, superficial infection in one case and dislocation in one case. Total gain of range of motion(ROM) was 17 degrees in painful elbow group and 102 degrees in ankylotic elbows. Total elbow arthroplasty was effective method for improvement of range of motion in ankylotic elbows and relief of pain in elbows which had painful limitation of motion.