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The medial approach for operative release of post-traumatic contracture of the elbow

2000; British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery; Volume: 82-B; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1302/0301-620x.82b1.0820068

2044-5377

Takuro Wada, Shoken Ishii, Masamichi Usui, Suichi Miyano,

Orthopedic Surgery and Rehabilitation

We treated post-traumatic contracture of the elbow in 13 consecutive patients (14 elbows) by operative release. Through a single medial approach, the posterior oblique bundle of the medial collateral ligament was resected, followed by posterior and anterior capsulectomies. An additional lateral release through a separate incision was required in only four elbows. The results were assessed at a mean interval of 57 months after operation. Before surgery active extension lacked 43° which improved to 17° after operation. Active flexion before operation was 89°, which improved to 127°. The mean arc of movement increased from 46° to 110°. All 14 elbows showed scarring of the posterior oblique bundle of the medial collateral ligament. Neither the interval from injury to operative release nor the age of the patient affected the results. A medial approach is useful to reveal and excise the pathological changes in the medial collateral ligament. It is a safe and effective route through which to correct post-traumatic contracture of the elbow.