The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American). 2006;88:421-430.
doi:10.2106/JBJS.E.00568
© 2006 The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc.
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Free
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow [Supplementary Material]
Right arrow [FREE Spanish Translation]
Right arrow Letters to the Editor: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when Letters to the Editor are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Rights and Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gramstad, G. D.
Right arrow Articles by Galatz, L. M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gramstad, G. D.
Right arrow Articles by Galatz, L. M.
Related Collections
Right arrow Current Concepts Review
Right arrow Elbow
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Facebook   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

Current Concepts Review

Management of Elbow Osteoarthritis

Gregory D. Gramstad, MD1 and Leesa M. Galatz, MD1

1 Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, Campus Box 8233, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093. E-mail address for L.M. Galatz: galatzl{at}msnotes.wustl.edu

The authors did not receive grants or outside funding in support of their research for or preparation of this manuscript. They did not receive payments or other benefits or a commitment or agreement to provide such benefits from a commercial entity. No commercial entity paid or directed, or agreed to pay or direct, any benefits to any research fund, foundation, educational institution, or other charitable or nonprofit organization with which the authors are affiliated or associated.

Primary osteoarthritis of the elbow is characterized by painful stiffness, mechanical symptoms, and the presence of hypertrophic osteophytes. Preservation of the joint space is common and may account for the good results that are usually achieved with nonoperative treatment and nonprosthetic arthroplasty.

Elbow osteoarthritis typically affects middle-aged men who engage in strenuous manual activity.

Open or arthroscopic capsular release and removal of impinging osteophytes are the primary surgical treatment options. The relative sparing of joint cartilage makes elbow osteoarthritis unique in this regard and amenable to this treatment.

Arthroplasty is rarely indicated for primary osteoarthritis of the elbow and should be reserved for elderly individuals with low demands for whom other treatment options have failed.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?