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Elbow arthroscopy in acute injuries

  • Elbow
  • Published:
Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy Aims and scope

Abstract

Purpose

Arthroscopy of the elbow has become a standard treatment option for many indications. The purpose of this article is to review literature concerning the use of arthroscopy for acute elbow injuries.

Methods

The main medical literature databases were searched for articles on the use of elbow arthroscopy in acute injuries. A total of 13 publications relevant to the topic were included. The Coleman methodology score was used to assess the methods of each article.

Results

All published articles have been case reports or retrospective case series. In fracture treatment, arthroscopy has been used in the treatment of displaced radial head, coronoid and capitellum fractures in adults and displaced radial neck and lateral humeral condyle fractures in children with good results. Endoscopic techniques have been used in distal biceps rupture and medial avulsion of the triceps. And also new techniques have been developed for the treatment of intra-articular soft-tissue lesions like rupture of the radial ulnohumeral ligament complex. One of the 13 studies analyzed was considered of good quality, 5 of moderate quality and all others of poor quality with inconsistent methodology and outcomes.

Conclusion

The range of treatments using elbow arthroscopy in acute injuries is expanding and brings new controversies and challenges. Single reports of arthroscopically treated bony and soft-tissue injuries of the elbow showed satisfactory results. However, further randomized prospective studies are needed to evaluate their safety and efficacy compared with open ‘gold standard’ techniques.

Level of evidence

IV.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Iris Wojtowicz, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, UZ Ghent, for her linguistic support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000, Gent, Belgium

    Alexander Van Tongel

  2. PanAm Clinic, University of Manitoba, 75 Poseidon Bay, Winnipeg, MB, R3M 3E4, Canada

    Peter Macdonald & Jamie Dubberley

  3. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Monica Hospital, Monica Research Foundation, 2100, Deurne, Belgium

    Roger Van Riet

Authors
  1. Alexander Van Tongel
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  2. Peter Macdonald
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  3. Roger Van Riet
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  4. Jamie Dubberley
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Correspondence to Alexander Van Tongel.

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Van Tongel, A., Macdonald, P., Van Riet, R. et al. Elbow arthroscopy in acute injuries. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 20, 2542–2548 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1904-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-012-1904-y

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