Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment of Flexion Contracture of the Elbow Through the Arthroscope

  • Chapter
Advanced Arthroscopy

  • 490 Accesses

Abstract

Contracture of the elbow may be a complication of elbow injury or the result of a variety of non-traumatic or congenital causes. Elbow stiffness impairs hand function significantly, with a 50% loss of elbow motion resulting in nearly 80% loss of upper extremity function.1 Recent advances in arthroscopy have expanded its utility in the management of elbow joint pathology. One of these expanded indications is in the treatment of elbow contracture or arthrofibrosis. Arthrofibrosis of the elbow and the resulting elbow joint contracture may have many etiologies. Although all elbow flexion contractures are not amenable to arthroscopic treatment, those with intraarticular or certain extraarticular causes may be treated arthroscopically.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Sojbjerg JO. The stiff elbow: How I do it. Acta Orthop Scand 1996; 67 (6): 626–631.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Money BF, An KN. Articular and ligamentous contributions to the stability of the elbow joint. Am J Sports Med 1983; 11: 315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Olsen BS, Sojbjerg JO, Vaesel MT, Helmig P, Sneppen O. Lateral collateral ligament of the elbow joint: anatomy and kinematics. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1996; 5: 103–112.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. O’Driscoll SW, Bell DF, Morrey BF. Posterolateral rotatory instability of the elbow. J Bone Joint Surg 1991; 73A: 440–446.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. An KN, Morrey BF, Chao EYS. The effect of partial removal of proximal ulna on elbow constraint. Clin Orthop 1986; 209: 270–279.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Protzman RR. Dislocation of the elbow joint. J Bone Joint Surg 1978; 60A: 539–541.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bede WB, Lefebvre AR, Rosman MA. Fractures of the medial humeral epicondyle in children. Can J Surg 1975; 18: 137.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Saito T, Koschino T, Okamoto R, Horiuchi S. Radial synovectomy with muscle release for the rheumatoid elbow. Acta Orthop Scand 1986; 57: 71–73.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Huang TT, Blackwell SJ, Louis SR. Ten years of experience in managing patients with burn contractures of the axilla, elbow, wrist and knee joints. Plast Reconstr Surg 1978; 61: 70–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sherk HH. Treatment of severe rigid contractures of cerebral palsy to upper limbs. Clin Orthop 1977; 125: 1151–1155.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Freehafer A. Flexion and supination deformities of the elbow in tetraplegics. Paraplegia 1977; 15: 221–225.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Mohan K. Myositis ossificans of the elbow. Int Surg 1972; 57 (6): 475–480.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Cooney WP. Contractures of the elbow. In: Money BF, ed. The elbow and its disorders, vol 2. Philadelphia: WB Saunders, 1993: 464–475.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Tucker K. Some aspects of post-traumatic elbow stiffness. Injury 1977; 9: 216.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Thorndike A. Jr. Myositis ossificans traumatic. J Bone Joint Surg 1940; 2 (2): 315.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Buxton JD. Ossification in the ligaments of the elbow. J Bone Joint Surg 1938; 20: 709.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Gutierre LS. A contribution to the study of the limiting factors of elbow extension. Acta Anat 1964; 56: 146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Wheeler DK, Linscheid RL. Fracture-dislocations of the elbow. Clin Orthop 1967; 50: 95.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Linscheid RL, Wheeler DK. Elbow dislocations. DAMA 1965; 194: 1171.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Silva JF. The problems relating to old dislocations and the restriction on the elbow movement. Acta Orthop Belg 1975; 41 (4): 399.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Jones GS, Geissler WB. Complications of minimally displaced radial head fractures. Paper presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, San Francisco, CA, 1993.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Roberts PH. Dislocation of the elbow. Br J Surg 1969; 56 (11): 806.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Thompson HS, Garcia A. Myositis ossificans: aftermath of elbow injuries. Clin Orthop 1967; 50: 129.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Green DP, McCoy H. Turnbuckle orthotic correction of elbow-flexion contractures after acute injuries. J Bone Joint Surg 1979; 61A: 1092–1095.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Money BF. Post-traumatic contracture of the elbow. Operative treatment, including distraction arthroplasty. J Bone Joint Surg 1990; 72A: 601–618.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Urbaniak JR, Hansen PE, Bissinger SB, Aitken M. Correction of posttraumatic flexion contracture of the elbow by anterior capsulotomy. J Bone Joint Surg 1985; 67A: 1160–1165.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Itoh Y, Saegusa K, Ishiguro T, Horiuchi Y, Sasaki T, Uchinishi K. Operation for the stiff elbow. Int Orthop 1989; 13 (4): 263–238.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Gates HS, Sullivan FL, Urbaniak JR. Anterior capsulotomy and continuous passive motion in the treatment of post-traumatic flexion contracture of the elbow. A prospective study. J Bone Joint Surg 1992; 74A: 1229–1234.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Redden JF, Stanley D. Arthroscopic fenestration of the olecranon fossa in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the elbow. Arthroscopy 1993; 9 (1): 14–16.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Sojbjerg JO, Kjaersgaard-Andersen P, Johannsen HV, Sneppen O. Release of the stiff elbow followed by continuous passive motion and indomethacin treatment. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1995; 4: S20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Jones GS, Savoie FH. Arthroscopic capsular release of flexion contractures (arthrofibrosis) of the elbow. Arthroscopy 1993;9:277.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Glynn J, Niebauer JJ. Flexion and extension contractures of the elbow. Clin Orthop 1976; 177: 289–291.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Wilner P. Anterior capsulectomy for contractures of the elbow. J Intern Coll Surg 1948; 11: 359–361.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Money BF, Askew LJ, An KN, Chao EW. A biomechanical study of normal functional elbow motion. J Bone Joint Surg 1981; 63A: 872–877.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Savoie FH, Field LD. Arthroscopy of the elbow. New York: Churchill-Livingstone, 1996.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Breen TF, Gelberman RH, Ackerman GN. Elbow flexion contractures: treatment by anterior release and continuous passive motion. J Hand Surg 1988; 13B: 286–287.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Husband JB, Hastings H. The lateral approach for operative release of post-traumatic contracture of the elbow. J Bone Joint Surg 1990; 72A: 1353.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. Felix H. Savoie III
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Larry D. Field
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Charles W. Hartzog Jr.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopaedic Center of Southern Illinois, Orthopaedic Research Foundation of Southern Illinois, St. Mary’s-Good Samaritian Inc., Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, 4121 Veterans Memorial Drive, 62864, Mt. Vernon, Illinois, USA

    James C. Y. Chow M.D. (President and Founder, Director of Orthopaedics, Clinical Assistant Professor) (President and Founder, Director of Orthopaedics, Clinical Assistant Professor)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2001 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Savoie, F.H., Field, L.D., Hartzog, C.W. (2001). Treatment of Flexion Contracture of the Elbow Through the Arthroscope. In: Chow, J.C.Y. (eds) Advanced Arthroscopy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21541-9_22

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-21541-9_22

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-9513-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-21541-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation