title: The long-term outcome of the Gschwend-Scheier-Bähler III elbow replacement.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Gschwend-Scheier-Bähler III (GSBIII) is a semiconstrained, sloppy-hinge total elbow replacement. We report the long-term functional and radiological outcome of a cohort of patients more than 10 years after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  All GSBIII prostheses implanted from September 1996 to June 2004 were identified from our surgical database. Functional and radiological assessments were performed at routine patient clinic visits, using the Oxford Elbow Score, the 11-item version of the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand score (QuickDASH), and plain radiographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  From 1996 to 2004, 52 elbows in 40 patients were implanted; of these, 18 patients (23 elbows) had died, leaving 22 patients with 29 elbows available for follow-up. Three patients (3 elbows) could not be contacted. Functional and radiological data were available for 19 patients with 26 elbows (90%). Overall survival was a mean of 13.1 years (range, 10.6-16.4 years). Mean age at operation was 63.0 years (range, 49.5-80.6 years). There were 5 male elbows and 21 female elbows. Five total elbow replacements were performed for osteoarthritis and 24 for rheumatoid arthritis. The mean Oxford Elbow Score was 26.9 (range, 18-48). The mean QuickDASH score was 42.6 (range, 2.5-93.2). Of the 52 elbows in 40 patients, 4 elbows (7.7%) required further surgery, 2 (3.8%) of which were revisions. In addition, there was 1 intraoperative complication and 2 postoperative complications not requiring further surgery. Kaplan-Meier 10-year survival shows a 95.9% implant survival with revision as the end point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The GSBIII elbow replacement provides good long-term function with a low revision rate and few complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Level IV; Case Series; Treatment Study.
authors.affiliation: Trauma and Orthopaedic Department, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK. Electronic address: ewan374@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ewan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bigsby
authors.affiliation: Trauma and Orthopaedic Department, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.affiliation: Trauma and Orthopaedic Department, Kingston Hospital, Kingston upon Thames, UK.
authors.forename: Nashat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.affiliation: Trauma and Orthopaedic Department, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blewitt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D057929:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Elbow / Q000379:methods*; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Elbow; TER; arthroplasty; osteoarthritis; replacement; rheumatoid