The Clinical Outcomes of Radiocapitellar Reconstruction With Radiocapitellar Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Radiocapitellar arthroplasty addresses a treatment gap for young patients with isolated capitellar fractures or radiocapitellar osteoarthritis.
• This procedure is indicated for patients unsuitable for total elbow arthroplasty.
• Limited data exists on the outcomes of radiocapitellar arthroplasty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis evaluating the functional and patient-reported outcomes of radiocapitellar arthroplasty.
• To determine the clinical utility of this surgical intervention.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of the PubMed database was performed for relevant English-language studies.
• Studies assessing patient-reported outcomes after radiocapitellar arthroplasty were included.
• Reporting adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines.

Main Results:

• Seven case series, totaling 562 initial studies, were included in the meta-analysis.
• Statistically significant improvements were observed in Mayo Elbow Performance Score (SMD = 3.04), flexion-extension arc (SMD = 1.28), and pronation-supination arc (SMD = 0.81) post-operatively.
• Significant heterogeneity was noted for Mayo Elbow Performance Score (p = .04, I² = 54%) and flexion-extension arc (p < .01, I² = 67%).

Conclusions:

• Radiocapitellar arthroplasty leads to statistically significant improvements in elbow flexion-extension and pronation-supination arcs.
• Patient-reported outcomes, as measured by the Mayo Elbow Performance Score, also showed significant improvement.
• The findings support the utility of radiocapitellar arthroplasty for select patient populations.