Current status of elbow arthroplasty / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Two types of elbow arthroplasties are used in current clinial practiceinterpositional and implant arthroplasty.Interposition elbow arthroplasty neither completely eliminates pain nor restores full function.It may be indicated for young active patients with severe inflammatory or posttraumatic arthritis,especially those with limited elbow motion.Current implant arthroplasty has come a long way in the past three decades.Elbow implant survival data nearly approach those of knee arthroplasty.The majority of patients have significant improvement in function and marked pain relief after total elbow replacement.However,the complication rate is higher than that for total hip and knee arthroplasty,is likely inherent in the anatomic uniqueness of the elbow itself.Greater caution must be paid to prevention of the complications of total elbow replacement.This article reviews the types,indications,contraindications and results of elbow arthroplasty.