[Epicondylopathia humeri. The indication for, technic and clinical results of radiotherapy]

The efficacy of radiotherapy for degenerative-inflammatory disorders is well known, but so far long-term observations and reliable assessment of symptoms according to objective criteria and scores for validation are still missing.

From 1986 to 1991, 104 patients with refractory epicondylopathia humeri were irradiated. 85 patients or 93 elbows (due to double-sided symptoms) were documented in long-term follow-up according to objective criteria. All patients had received intensive therapy. Pain symptoms were quantified in "categories" and "grades" prior to and 6 weeks after radiotherapy and at last follow-up. In addition, the elbow score of Morrey et al. [36] was used for long-term evaluation. The onset of pain symptoms was acute in 41 and chronic in 52 cases. The mean symptom duration prior to radiotherapy was 16 months. Pain was mostly triggered off during professional (46) or sportive activities (23) or spontaneously (11). Fifty-one patients were severely disabled in professional or sportive activities. The involved elbow(s) received 2 radiotherapy series of 6 x 1 Gy (total 12 Gy) with 3 fractions per week; the second radiotherapy series was started 6 weeks after the first series. Mean follow-up was 4 +/- 2 (1 to 8) years.

Forty-three patients (50 elbows) achieved "complete pain relief (CR)" in all pain categories: 59% elbows with pain at strain had "complete pain relief", 79% with pain at night, 84% with permanent pain, 80% with pain at rest and 81% with pain at initiation or morning stiffness. Nineteen elbows gained "major pain relief (PR)", i.e. had minor symptoms (maximum grade 1) in all categories. Thus, a total of 69 (74%) elbows responded to radiotherapy. Seventeen patients (19 elbows) were operated because of persistent symptoms or dissatisfaction in long-term follow-up; 7 of those became completely free of symptoms. The Morrey-Score improved by a mean of 18 points from 78 prior to radiotherapy to 96 points at last follow-up. According to the Morrey-Score only 2 patients became worse in long-term follow-up. Two parameters indicated a negative prognosis in multivariate analysis: long symptom duration prior to radiotherapy and immobilisation with plaster (p < 0.05).

Radiotherapy for refractory epicondylopathia humeri is highly effective. Long symptom duration and long-term immobilisation by plaster are negative prognostic factors for treatment outcome. Due to the low side effects and treatment costs, radiotherapy is a good therapeutic option in comparison to conventional treatment methods and surgery in the chronic stage of epicondylopathia humeri.