Primary Elbow Osteoarthritis: Evaluation and Management.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Sports Medicine
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Primary osteoarthritis of the elbow is frequently associated with a history of heavy lifting.
• Early stages may respond to conservative management, including activity modification, NSAIDs, and corticosteroid injections.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review treatment options for primary elbow osteoarthritis.
• To highlight the efficacy of joint-preserving procedures and total elbow arthroplasty.

Main Methods:

• Review of conservative and surgical treatment modalities for elbow osteoarthritis.
• Emphasis on joint-preserving techniques like arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty.
• Consideration of ulnar nerve management during surgical interventions.

Main Results:

• Conservative treatments can provide relief in earlier stages of elbow osteoarthritis.
• Joint-preserving surgeries lead to substantial pain improvement despite cartilage wear.
• Arthroscopic osteocapsular arthroplasty is increasingly preferred over open debridement.
• Total elbow arthroplasty offers excellent pain relief and function for end-stage disease.

Conclusions:

• Both joint-preserving surgeries and total elbow arthroplasty are effective for elbow osteoarthritis.
• Surgical approach selection depends on disease severity, patient age, and prior treatments.
• Careful assessment and management of the ulnar nerve are crucial during surgical procedures.