Introduction Surgical intervention is not commonly required to treat epicondylitis, and nonoperative management is usually successful in about 90% of patients. Similarly, when surgery is performed, a 90% success rate is typically reported, interestingly, regardless of the surgical technique. a…
Introduction As with the lateral elbow we prefer the term tendinosis to epicondylitis as the problem is in the common flexor tendons not the epicondyle. The histopathology (see Chapter 59 ) has no inflammatory cells. Medial elbow tendinosis is less…
Introduction Over the last several years one of the most significant changes in the practice of managing epicondylar tendinopathy has been the introduction of ultrasound (US)-guided treatment. This in turn prompted the development of a percutaneous ultrasonic treatment of the…
Introduction The term tendinosis is preferred to epicondylitis as this is more descriptive of the true pathology. Epicondylitis (tendinosis) occurs at least five times more commonly on the lateral than on the medial aspect of the joint. The selection factors…
Introduction The importance of wound problems following elbow trauma should not be underestimated. The thin posterior soft tissue envelope places the elbow at risk for significant wound healing problems and potential infection. Soft tissue damage and swelling that occur from…
Introduction The term heterotopic ossification (HO) refers to the presence of mature lamellar bone tissue outside of the bones that form the skeleton. HO and ectopic bone are terms that are used interchangeably for this type of bone formation. Conceptually,…
Introduction The basic science and surgical procedures to restore motion in patients with elbow stiffness have been thoroughly reviewed in the previous three chapters. Unfortunately, recurrence of stiffness is not uncommon, maintenance of the range of motion (ROM) achieved in…
Introduction Restoration of elbow motion in patients with stiffness is commonly attempted arthroscopically. The reader should refer to Part 2 for an in-depth review of arthroscopic elbow surgery. Chapter 21 reviews the arthroscopic management of the arthritic elbow, and many…
Introduction Of the numerous potential causes for elbow stiffness, the causes and pathophysiologic mechanisms dictate treatment and affect prognosis. An extensive treatment of these mechanisms and classification have been addressed in Chapter 53 . As discussed previously, extrinsic contracture typically…
Introduction Loss of joint motion is a common complication of elbow trauma. Posttraumatic elbow stiffness is seen after major but also trivial injuries. Dealing with posttraumatic elbow stiffness is a challenging task for the orthopedic surgeon as it often involves…