title: Total replacement for post-traumatic arthritis of the elbow.
abstract: Fifty-three of 55 consecutive elbow replacements for post-traumatic arthritis were followed for a minimum of two years (mean 6.3, range 2 to 14.4). The patients presented difficult management problems, having undergone an average of two previous operations per joint; 22 joints had suffered prior complications; 18 had less than 50 degrees of flexion and six were flail. One of three versions of the Coonrad prosthesis was employed in all. During the follow-up period, 10 patients underwent 14 revision procedures for aseptic loosening; 38 elbows are currently without progressive radiolucent lines. In two patients an elbow had to be resected, one for deep infection and the other for bone resorption following a foreign-body reaction to titanium. The current design of the Coonrad prosthesis offers a reliable option for the treatment of post-traumatic arthritis but should be used only in carefully selected patients over the age of 60 years.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905.
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Morrey
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Bryan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001168:Arthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011403:Pronation; D011474:Prosthesis Design / Q000592:standards*; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D013484:Supination; D000092464:Elbow Injuries