Surgical treatment of posttraumatic stiffness of the elbow: 2-year outcome in 21 patients after a column procedure

Figures & data

Table 1.  Details of initial injury in the 21 patients

Age	Sex	Preop. ROM	Injury	Previous treatment
46	F	105	RHF 2002	6 weeks of sling and 6 weeks of PT
20	M	80	Supracondylar humerus fracture	ORIF + cast for 6 weeks and 6 weeks of PT
24	M	70	RHF 2001	2 weeks of cast
37	F	70	Elbow fracture 1995
76	F	60	Olecranon fracture 2002	ORIF
38	M	30	Elbow luxation 2002	3.5 weeks of cast
56	F	70	Supracondylar humerus fracture	ORIF
50	M	95	Hemarthrosis without fracture
47	M	80	Loose body	Removal of a loose body
18	F	95	Hyperextension trauma without fracture
56	M	45	Posterior luxation
41	F	80	Transcondylar humerus fracture 2001	ORIF and pseudoarthrosis repair
25	M	60	PAO after accident with neurotrauma 2003
48	M	60	Elbow trauma 1991 with postraumatic arthrosis
62	F	60	Capitellum fracture
18	M	110	Elbow luxation with an RHF 2002	10 days of cast
63	F	40	Loss of function after trauma 2003
10	F	25	Elbow luxation with RHF 1994
13	F	50	Elbow luxation with RHF 2002
54	M	65	Volleyball trauma without fracture
40	F	110	RHF 2001

RHF: radial head fracture; PAO: periarticular ossifications with contracture; Preop. ROM: preoperative range of motion; PT: physiotherapy; ORIF: open reposition and internal fixation.

Figure 1. Column procedure with anterior and posterior capsule release.

Figure 2. A.The lateral incision. B. Anterior capsule release. C. Posterior capsule release.

Figure 3. Range of motion (flexion-extension), showing a significant improvement 3 months after surgery. The functional outcome did not improve further after 1 and 2 years. The line in the box is the medial score; the box itself represents the standard deviation.

Table 2.  Outcome

	ROM (flex.–ext.)	ROM (pro.–sup.)	EFA score	VAS resting	VAS active
Preoperatively (SD)	69° (24)	126° (50)	74 (13)	0	1.6
3 months (SD)	104° (17)	132° (30)	91 (6)	0	0.9
12 months (SD)	111° (17)	135° (30)	94 (5)	0	1
24 months (SD)	113° (17)	137° (28)	96 (4)	0	0.7