ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Few studies have compared the outcomes, complications and revision rate of a total elbow replacement (TER) prosthetic design. This study examined a series of patients with semiconstrained and unconstrained total elbow replacements (TER) and evaluated them for any functional differences, complications and revision rates that might be attributable to the prosthetic design. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 78 cases of primary TER was performed in 71 patients. Their mean age at TER was 54 years. The causes of TER were rheumatoid arthritis in 42, post-traumatic arthritis and osteoarthritis 24 and 5 patients, respectively. Unconstrained and semiconstrained TER was employed in 35 and 43 cases, respectively. The end results of TER by the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS), their elbow range of motion before and after surgery, their complications and revision rates after an average 13 year follow-up were evaluated. RESULTS: The MEPS was improved from 33 points pre-operatively to 87 points post-operatively (p<0.001). Active flexion-extension elbow motions were also improved markedly from 27degrees-86degrees pre-operatively to 16degrees-128degrees postoperatively (p<0.001). There was no significant difference between the semiconstrained and unconstrained TER in the post-operative MEPS (p=0.764) and range of motion (p=0.728). The complication rate was much higher in the unconstrained groups than in the semiconstrained group (p=0.014). The mean total revision rate was 29.5%. There was no significant difference in revision rate between the unconstrained and semiconstrained groups (p=0.402). Loosening was found in a total of 12 cases (15.4%). There was also no significant difference in loosening between the semiconstrained and unconstrained groups (p=0.382). CONCLUSION: Favorable results of MEPS and elbow motion were obtained in both the unconstrained and semiconstrained types after an average 13 year follow up after TER. However, the semiconstrained type of TER showed a lower complication rate than the unconstrained type of TER.