title: [Case-control study on comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine therapy for preventing postsurgery stiffness after operation for terrible triad of the elbow].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study therapeutic effects of comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine therapy for preventing postsurgery stiffness after operation for terrible triad of the elbow.
  
  
  METHODS
  From December 2008 to December 2013,32 patients with elbow triad were randomly divided into two groups: therapy group and control group. There were 17 patients in control group including 12 males and 5 females with a mean age of (41.0 ± 7.1) years old. The patients in control group were received the past procedure therapy. There were 15 patients in therapy group, including 10 males and 5 females with a mean age of (41.3 ± 7.6) years old. The patients in therapy group were received comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine therapy, including passive exercise training at early stage (0 to 2 weeks after operation), transition from passive to active exercise training at middle stage (3 to 4 weeks after operation), and active exercise training at late stage (5 to 12 weeks after operation). Other treatment methods, such as orally taking or externally use of Chinese herbal medicine, manipulation and physiotherapy, were used at all stages. The Mayo Elbow Performance Score, patient satisfaction and complications were evaluated and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the patients were followed up, and the mean duration was 7.5 months. There were no complications such as internal fixation loosing, obvious displacement fracture and heterotopic ossification occurred. The Mayo score and patient satisfaction in therapy group were higher than those in control group (t = 12.78, P = 0.00; χ2 = 8.719, P = 0.003). Seven patients needed reoperation in control group, compared with 1 patient in therapy group (χ2 = 4.626, P = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine therapy is effective to prevent postoperative stiffness after operation for terrible triad of the elbow by using different methods at different stages, which is worthy of spread and application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedics, Third Hospital Affiliated to Medical University of Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Mao
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Liang-Le
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Li-Jie
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Mei-Fen
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011885:Radius Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D014458:Ulna Fractures / Q000601:surgery*; D000092464:Elbow Injuries