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Semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasty for rheumatoid arthritis patients: clinical and radiological results of 1–8 years follow-up

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

We investigated whether the Discovery total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) system had good results and survival in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods

In a prospective cohort study, one elbow surgeon performed TEA on 25 consecutive RA patients (31 elbows) between December 2004 and November 2012 using the Discovery system. We evaluated the preoperative elbow range of motion (ROM), functional outcome with QuickDash and quality of life with EQ-5D. An independent colleague evaluated the same parameters 1–8 years (mean 4.5) postoperatively. The medical records of the follow-up visits for the study period were available for review.

Results

A complete set of results was available for 19 patients (25 elbows). The mean ROM improved in flexion/extension from 88° (SD 27) to 113° (SD 19) and in pronation/supination from 55° (SD 28) to 68° (SD 22) (p < 0.05). The mean QuickDash also improved from 66.5 (SD 25.7) to 40.2 (SD 24) (p < 0.01). The mean EQ-5D improved from 0.68 (SD 0.2) to 0.75 (SD 0.13) but was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). Three patients were revised because of loosening, 2 more patients were re-operated. This resulted in a Kaplan–Meier survival of 90 % (CI 72–97) for the study period.

Conclusion

The Discovery system has shown satisfactory results in RA patients even if the rate of complication remained relatively high. Further follow-up is required to investigate the radiological changes observed in some of our patients.

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Conflict of interest

None of the authors has actual or potential conflicts of interest related to the subject of this article.

Ethical standard statement

The Ethics Committee at Umeå University approved the study (No. 2013/453-31).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences (Orthopaedics, Sundsvall), Umeå University, 901 87, Umeå, Sweden

    Sebastian Mukka, Gustaf Berg, Hamid R. Haj Hassany, Alan K. Koye, Göran Sjödén & Arkan S. Sayed-Noor

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  1. Sebastian Mukka
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  2. Gustaf Berg
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  3. Hamid R. Haj Hassany
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Correspondence to Arkan S. Sayed-Noor.

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Mukka, S., Berg, G., Hassany, H.R.H. et al. Semiconstrained total elbow arthroplasty for rheumatoid arthritis patients: clinical and radiological results of 1–8 years follow-up. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 135, 595–600 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-015-2191-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-015-2191-0

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