title: Radial head arthroplasty: a radiologic outcome study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to provide a radiographic outcome assessment of radial head arthroplasty in correlation with clinical outcomes and to determine whether there is an association between certain patient factors and clinical and radiographic outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 10-year retrospective review was performed to identify patients with metal radial head arthroplasty. At least two follow-up radiographs were reviewed for each patient and were correlated with clinical information. Statistical analysis included calculation of complication rates, phi coefficient for variable association with complications, and Kaplan-Meier survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 258 radial head implants in 244 patients were reviewed. The mean patient age was 46 years, with mean follow-up time of 12.8 months. Two hundred nineteen (84.9%) implants were unipolar in design, whereas 39 implants were bipolar. The most common indication for arthroplasty was trauma (94% acute and 2% failed internal fixation). Radiographic abnormalities included nonbridging heterotopic ossification (38.0%), secondary radiocapitellar joint osteoarthritis (27.9%), loosening (19.8%), bridging heterotopic ossification (8.9%), fracture (2.3%), and hardware dislocation (2.7%). Overall, there were 62 second surgeries for either revision or removal. Reasons for second surgery included heterotopic ossification (53.2%), synovectomy or capsulectomy (43.5%), and infection (3.2%). There was a statistically significant association between radiographic complications and the presence of patient symptoms (p < 0.05). There was no association between radiographic or clinical complications with age, sex, side, or type of arthroplasty (R < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a positive association between radiographic findings and patient symptoms for postoperative complications after radial head arthroplasty. By 9 months, 50% of implants showed radiographic complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Washington, 4245 Roosevelt Way NE, Box 354755, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. aha1@uw.edu
authors.forename: Alice S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Jonelle M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Petscavage
authors.forename: Felix S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chew
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019643:Arthroplasty, Replacement / Q000379:methods*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D011884:Radius / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008670:Metals