Osteoarthritis of the elbow (OA) is an uncommon entity. In most cases, it can be attributed to long-standing occupational stress, previous injury, loose bodies in the joint. Patients complain of pain and stiffness at the extremes of movements. This can be caused by degenerative changes at the radio-capitellar, ulnohumeral joint or due to ulnar nerve symptoms. We perform the Outerbridge-Kashiwagi (OK) procedure at our institution for the management of problematic primary elbow osteoarthritis.
The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of ulnohumeral arthroplasty in 13 elbows which was done over a period of 6 years in our institution. Range of movement (ROM) and pain were measured, and X-rays were assessed.
Thirteen patients who underwent ulnohumeral arthroplasty between 2006 and 2012 were included in the study. There were 11 males and 2 females with an average age of 54 years (35-78), with a mean follow-up of 4 years.
The pain score improved from 8 (6-10) to 2 (0-2) using the visual analogue scale. Eleven patients were completely pain-free. There was an improvement of 27° in the flexion extension arc. There were no complications.
Ulnohumeral arthroplasty can yield good pain relief and moderate improvement in the range of movement. It is a relatively easy and safe procedure to perform in patients with primary degenerative osteoarthritis of the elbow.