[Elbow reconstruction with massive total osteoarticular allograft: early failure due to instability].
Total elbow allografts were implanted for the treatment of trauma-induced bone defects in three patients between 1986 and 1990. Six allografts were implanted and finally explanted. The longest follow-up for an implanted allograft was five years. Allografts had to be removed because of nonunion in one patient and gross instability in the others. A constrained elbow prosthesis was implanted in all three patients. This short series illustrates mid-term failure to be expected with total elbow allografts, mainly due to instability. Accordingly, we no longer recommend the use of total elbow allografts alone as a salvage procedure for bony defects. If an allograft is needed, it should be implanted with a prosthesis.
Delloye
C
C
Service de Chirurgie Orthopédique et de Traumatologie, Clinique universitaire Saint-Luc, 10, avenue Hippocrate, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgique. delloye@orto.ucl.ac.be
Cornu
O
O
Dubuc
J-E
JE
Vincent
A
A
Barbier
O
O
D000368:Aged; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D001858:Bone Nails; D001860:Bone Plates; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018579:Patient Selection; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D000092464:Elbow Injuries