title: Forked osteotomy arthroplasty for elbow tuberculosis: six years of follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elbow tuberculosis (TB) is not rare in China. Most patients are diagnosed when it is at an advanced stage and with bony ankylosis complications. For a developing country, such as China, it is important for there to be safe and cost-effective procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was designed to assess the effects of improved forked excision arthroplasty for treating elbow TB. There were 20 patients (average age, 48.45 years). For all patients, the preoperative diagnosis was elbow TB at an advanced stage. All patients underwent forked excision arthroplasty. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with the Mayo's elbow performance score (MEPS). Mean follow-up was at 74.4 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the last follow-up, the mean postoperative MEPS was 83.7 compared with the preoperative MEPS of 20.25. Results of Mayo's elbow performance index were excellent in seven patients, good in 12 and fair in one, and none were poor. The range of elbow motion also improved significantly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study of forked elbow excision arthroplasty has shown promising results for treating elbow TB. Most patients had ideal postoperative outcomes and exhibited painless elbow joints, with satisfactory functional recovery at medium-term follow-up. Further studies with longer follow-up are warranted.
  
  
  METHODS
  III.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Tianjin Haihe Hospital, Jingu Road, Shuanggang Town, Jinnan District, Tianjin, 300350, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yu-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Yu-Lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Guang-Zhi
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Ning
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Shi-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001178:Arthroplasty / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014394:Tuberculosis, Osteoarticular / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult