• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.122-126
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• 2005

Purpose: To assess the long-term effect of ulnohumeral arthroplasty and the relationship between radiological recurrence and clinical outcome. Materials and Methods: Eleven elbows with primary osteoarthritis were analyzed at an average of eighty months after ulnohumeral arthroplasty. All patients were male with a mean age of fifty years. The outcomes were assessed using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score(MEPS) and the clinical and radiological results were compared. Results: Four elbows were not painful and six were mildly painful but one was not changed. The mean gain in extension was $15^{\circ}$, in flexion $10^{\circ}$. There were satisfactory results in 8 elbows(73%) and the mean MEPS was 81 points. All of eleven elbows had some degree of recurrent osteoarthritis and there was no correlation between radiological recurrence and clinical endpoints in nine elbows. But in two elbows, it appeared that recurrence of osteophyte at coronoid process was severe and caused fair outcome. Conclusion: Ulnohumeral arthroplasy is one of the effective treatment options for primary osteoarthritis of the elbow. The radiological recurrence did not correlated with the clinical outcome in most cases.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2011

Purpose: To evaluate of the clinical usefulness of minimal invasive ulnohumeral arthroplasty in patients with mild to moderate elbow arthritis. Materials and Methods: From January 2000 to December 2008, twenty-nine patients with mild to moderate elbow arthritis underwent minimal invasive ulnohumeral arthroplasty. Among these patients, we reviewed the cases of 24 patients for whom we had follow-up data for at least 1 year. There were 20 males and 4 females with a mean age of 53 years (range: 31~69). We excluded patients with preoperative ulnar neuropathy symptoms and investigated the mean operation time, the joint range of motion, the time required until the start of joint exercise, and the Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS). Results: Passive and active joint exercises were started in an average of 1.8 days (range: 1~4) after surgery; the mean operation time was 38 minutes (range: 25~55). The elbow joint range of motion was 25-104 degrees (extension 0~70, flexion 80~130) preoperatively and was improved 40 degrees on average to 14-133 degrees (extension 0~45, flexion 90~150) after a year of follow up. The average time required until the start of joint exercise was 1.6 days (range: 1~5). MEPS were excellent in 9 cases and good in 5 cases after a year of follow up. Although there was 1 case of delayed wound healing and 7 cases of postoperative edema, they improved spontaneously. Conclusion: For patients with mild to moderate elbow arthritis, minimal invasive ulnohumeral arthroplasty is a clinically useful surgery since its operation time is short, early joint exercise is possible, and pain is mild.