title: Posttraumatic elbow arthritis and arthroplasty.
abstract: Elbow contractures without significant articular injury can be treated with soft-tissue procedures, such as joint capsular releases, resection of heterotropic ossification, and joint debridement. Elbows with significant intra-articular injuries or posttraumatic arthritis require some form of joint reconstruction, such as a distraction arthroplasty, interposition arthroplasty, or implant replacement arthroplasty. With a better understanding of the surgical indications for elbow arthroplasty, improvements in surgical technique, improvements in elbow implants, and increased surgical experience, the results of implant arthroplasty for the posttraumatic elbow continue to improve.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orhtopedic Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D001168:Arthritis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001178:Arthroplasty / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement; D000075202:Contraindications; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D000092464:Elbow Injuries