title: POST-TRAUMATIC STIFFNESS OF THE ELBOW.
abstract: Elbow stiffness is a common problem after joint trauma, causing functional impairment of the upper limb. The severity of the dysfunction depends on the nature of the initial trauma and the treatment used. Appropriate clinical evaluation and complementary examinations are essential for therapeutic planning. Several surgical techniques are now available and the recommendation must be made in accordance with patient characteristics, degree of joint limitation and the surgeon's skill. Joint incongruence and degeneration have negative effects on the prognosis, but heterotrophic ossification alone has been correlated with a favorable surgical prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Radiologist and Director of the Radiology Service, Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology (IOT), Hospital das Clínicas, University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Geraldo Motta
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Filh
authors.affiliation: Physician at the Surgical Center for Shoulders and Elbows, National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopedics (INTO), Rio de Janeiro.
authors.forename: Marcus Vinicius
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Galvão
keywords: Elbow/injuries; Elbow/surgery; Wounds and injuries