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Arthroscopic arthrolysis provides good clinical outcome in post-traumatic and degenerative elbow stiffness

  • Elbow
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose and hypothesis

The purpose of this retrospective study was to report on the functional outcome after arthroscopic arthrolysis in patients with post-traumatic or degenerative elbow stiffness. It was hypothesized that this operative procedure leads to improved range of motion (ROM) and improved functional outcome in both groups.

Methods

Patients who underwent arthroscopic arthrolysis of the elbow between 2010 and 2015 were included in this study. Forty-two patients with an average age of 41.0 ± 13.5 years were available for evaluation. The mean follow-up was 28.3 ± 14.9 months. With regard to aetiology of elbow contractures, patients were divided into post-traumatic (group A) and degenerative (group B) cohort. General patients’ data, previous surgical treatment and ROM were recorded. At follow-up evaluation, the clinical outcome was assessed by the ROM, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain assessment and the Elbow Self-Assessment Score (ESAS).

Results

The mean arc of motion of group A (n = 20) increased from preoperatively 74.3° to 120.5° postoperatively (p < 0.001); group B (n = 22) showed an improvement of 104.6° preoperatively to 123.4° after surgery (p = 0.002). Mean improvement was 46.3° ± 27.5° in group A and 16.4° ± 19.4° in group B. Mean post-operative VAS was 0.9 ± 1.5 in group A and 1.3 ± 2.2 in group B. 92.9% of patients achieved a functional arc of elbow motion >100°. The ESAS indicated good to excellent clinical outcome showing 88.8 ± 10.0 points in group A and 84.1 ± 21.4 points in group B. Thirty-six patients (85.7%) returned to their previous work level after surgery.

Conclusions

Arthroscopic arthrolysis is an effective treatment option for patients with restriction in elbow motion reasoned by post-traumatic or degenerative changes. Both groups showed a significant improvement of ROM and comparable outcome scores.

Level of evidence

Therapeutic study, Level IV.

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Author notes

  1. Lukas Willinger and Sebastian Siebenlist have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Lukas Willinger, Sebastian Siebenlist, Franz Liska, Andreas B. Imhoff & Andrea Achtnich

  2. Department of Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery, HELIOS Klinikum München West, Munich, Germany

    Andreas Lenich

Authors
  1. Lukas Willinger
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  2. Sebastian Siebenlist
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  3. Andreas Lenich
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  4. Franz Liska
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  5. Andreas B. Imhoff
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  6. Andrea Achtnich
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas B. Imhoff.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Funding

No funding was received.

Ethical approval

The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Technical University of Munich (No. 264/16S) and conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Willinger, L., Siebenlist, S., Lenich, A. et al. Arthroscopic arthrolysis provides good clinical outcome in post-traumatic and degenerative elbow stiffness. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 26, 312–317 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4630-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-017-4630-7

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