Surgical Options for the Arthritic Elbow

Elbow arthritis is a debilitating condition manifesting as a painful, stiff elbow. Surgical treatment is based on disease etiology, severity of degeneration, and patient age. Rheumatoid elbows with mild to moderate disease benefit from arthroscopic debridement and synovectomy, whereas capsular release and ulnohumeral arthroplasty can relieve painful elbows with early posttraumatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. Age and functional requirements are treatment determinants for moderate to severe arthritis. Rheumatoid, low-demand, and elderly patients are candidates for total elbow replacement; posttraumatic and osteoarthritic elbows in younger patients with considerable functional demands are treated with interpositional arthroplasty. Total elbow allografts and elbow arthrodeses are considered only in salvage situations.