2. INTRODUCTION
Elbow arthroplasty has been described in multiple forms
over time.
Semi-constrained total elbow arthroplasty, in particular, has
a well-studied track record
However, the procedure is associated with a relatively high
complication rate
Not durable as replacements of the hip, knee, or shoulder
In particular, the excessive loads placed on the device by
high-demand patients is a common cause of failure.
3. GOAL OF TOTAL ELBOW
ARTHROPLASTY
Restore functional mechanics of elbow
Relief of pain
Restoration of motion
Stability
4. IMPLANT TYPES
• Depending on rigidity of fixation of humeral
component to ulnar component
• FULLY CONSTRAINED
• SEMI CONSTRAINED
• UNCONSTRAINED
5. FULLY CONSTRAINED
• Metal to metal hinge with PMMA cement
fixation
• Rarely used now as they have tendency to
loosen & breakage
• Eg: stanmoore.Dee,Mckee.GSB1 & Mazas
designs
6. SEMI CONSTRAINED
• 2 or 3 part prosthesis
• Metal to high density polyethylene
articulation connected with locking
pin or snap-fit device
• Have built in Valgus & varus laxity
for side to side dissipation of forces
• Eg: Coonrad, Mayo, Tri-axial,
Schlein, AHSC Pritchard-walker
7. UNCONSTRAINED
• 2 part prosthesis
• Metal to high density polyethylene articulation without
locking pin or snap-fit link
• Design consists of - stems for humeral component or
resurfacing devices
• Parts unlinked in a attempt to anatomically duplicates
the articular surface of the elbow
• Require normal intact ligaments, anterior
capsule & appropriate static alignment
8. PATIENT SELECTION
It is the most definitive functional procedure for
END STAGE ELBOW ARTHRITIS
• End stage-Rheumatoid Arthritis with radiological
evidence of joint destruction
• Acute unreconstructable fracture > 60 age
• Bilateral elbow ankylosis
• Bony or fibrous ankylosis with elbow in poor functioning
position
9. Contd…
• As a revision of failed elbow arthroplasty
• Loss of bone stock caused by tumour/trauma
• End stage –Osteoarthritis
• Post traumatic arthritis
• Nonunion of distal humerus
• Hemophilic arthropathy
10. IMPLANT SELECTION
Depends to a great extend on the
Fate of capsuloligamentous structures about the elbow
Integrity of the musculature
Amount of bone remaining at the elbow joint
• Resurfacing /unconstrained prosthetic designs-patients with
a more stable joint with more bone remaining
• Semi-constrained- patients with extensive injury to ligaments
& capsule of joint, atrophic musculature & loss of considerable
bone stock
11. CONTRAINDICATIONS
• Active or recent elbow Sepsis(absolute)
• Poor soft tissue envelope
• Non restorable function of Biceps & Triceps
• Poor patient compliance with activity & weight lifting
restrictions
• Flaccid paralysis of upper extremity
• Young vigorous patient with a post traumatic destroyed elbow
• Neuropathic elbow joint
• Ankylosis of Ipsilateral shoulder
12. PRE-OP PLANNING
• Routine AP & lateral radiographs
Assess humeral bow & medullary canal size in
lateral projection
Note size & angulation of the ulnar medullary canal
In both projection
• Templates are available for all the varying size prostheses &
very useful
• Ulnar nerve examination-document if any degree of
impairment noted
• Elbow aspiration & culture to rule out joint sepsis –if infection
is suspected or rheumatoid elbow is red/hot/swollen
13. COONRAD-MORREY PROSTHESIS
• Semi-constrained hinged prosthesis
• High-molecular-weight polyethylene bushing & titanium
humeral and ulnar components.
• Designed with 7 * of rotary and side-to-side laxity.
• Humeral and ulnar stems match the shapes of the
medullary canals.
• The triangular humeral stem is flattened near the base at
the inferior flatter and wider portion of the medullary canal
of the humerus.
14. • The large medullary stem enhances rigid fixation.
• Its long stem, contour & distal anterior flange increase
resistance to torque.
• Careful bone removal in the intercondylar area of the
humerus is necessary to allow a tight fit of the humeral
prosthesis.
• Prosthesis usually is inserted with the elbow fully flexed
• Components also can be inserted separately and then
joined.
• Right & left prostheses are available as trial components.
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18. POST OP IMAGING
• AP and lateral films are obtained as baseline reference
• used for future comparison to follow up studies to document
stability of prosthesis.
• Initial radiographs are scrutinized for:
• Alignment
▫ Humeral and ulnar stems should align with the long axis of
the bone
▫ Humeral and ulnar components show normal articulation
without evidence of dislocation
19. • Peri-prosthetic fractures
• Cement technique
▫ Cement should coat the prosthesis stems without
extravasation into soft tissues
▫ Intraoperative fractures or osteopenic bone increase risk
of cement leak which may damage radial or ulnar
nerves.
20. POST OP CARE
The extremity is elevated overnight with elbow above
the shoulder.
The drains & compressive dressing are removed the day
after surgery.
A light dressing is then applied & passive elbow flexion
and extension are allowed as tolerated.
A collar and cuff are used & instructions in the activities
of daily living are provided by an occupational therapist.
21. Active elbow extension must be avoided for
3 months until the triceps heals.
Strengthening exercises are avoided.
Patient is encouraged to avoid lifting more than
5 lb for the first 3 months after surgery
Thereafter, lifting is restricted to 10 pounds
22. RESULTS
• RATING SYSTEM OF MORREY
used 3 criteria to rate TEA
Xray appearance
pain
motion
1.GOOD RESULT
No radiographic change at the bone cement /prosthesis
interface
No pain
>90* of flexion
60* of pronation & supination
23. 2.FAIR RESULTS
• > 1mm of widening of any bone cement prosthesis
interface
• Mild pain
• Between 50* & 90* of flexion & extension
• Less than 40* of pronation & supination
3.POOR RESULTS
• >2mm of widening of any bone cement prosthesis
interface
• Pain that significantly limits activity
• Less than 50* of flexion & extension
• Revision of elbow arthroplasty
24.
25. PAINFUL OR FAILED ELBOW
ARTHROPLASTY
• Evaluated with serial conventional radiographs
• May be due to a variety of problems. These include:
• Instability
• Polyethylene problems
• Osteolysis
• Loosening
• Infection
• Fractures
• Heterotopic ossification
26.
27. INSTABILITY
• Instability occurs in the form of dislocation or subluxation
• Most common complication requiring revision of
unconstrained prostheses
• reported to occur in between 9% and 10% of total elbow
arthroplasties
INTRA-OP PRECAUTIONS
• Appropriate tensioning of the medial & lateral ligament
complexes
• preservation of the anterior capsule and triceps
28. INSTABILITY
• Instability in SEMI-CONSTRAINED TEA is usually caused
by
wear of the polyethylene bushings or
disengagement of the linkage pin.
• Proper prosthesis alignment is crucial in linked
arthroplasty.
• Malalignment can cause abnormal forces to be generated
across the joint which can lead to early hardware failure.
29. Polyethylene Problems
• Polyethylene components are prone to wear after long
term usage.
• Wear and the subsequent debris that it produces initiate
synovitis and foreign body reaction, which can ultimately
lead to severe bone loss.
• In many linked arthroplasty prostheses models,
bushings are made of polyethylene.
• A bushing is defined as a fixed or removable cylindrical
lining used to reduce friction between the humeral and
ulnar components.
30. Polyethylene Problems
• Bushing wear is determined on an AP radiograph.
METHOD:
• A line was drawn parallel to the yoke of the humeral
component, & another line was drawn parallel to the
medial or lateral surface of the ulnar component.
INFERENCE :
• An angle of intersection > 7 * indicates excessive tolerance
of the bushings due to polyethylene deformation
31. Polyethylene Problems
• Certain factors are associated with the development
of bushing wear. They are
• younger patient age,
• male sex,
• Post traumatic arthritis,
• Pre operative elbow deformity,
• Supra condylar nonunion,
• high activity levels
32. Osteolysis
• Refers to both focal and linear periprosthetic bone loss
adjacent to any joint replacement
• Results from a foreign body response to particulate debris
from the wear of arthroplasty components and cement
• Particles are taken up by macrophages & giant cells which
may release cytokines that initiate a cascade reaction
ultimately resulting in osteolysis
33. • Osteolysis is usually asymptomatic.
• Follow-up radiographs are used to identify the
process early
• Thinned cortex and weakened bone places patients at
risk of pathologic fracture, prosthesis subsidence and
loosening
• Large amounts of particulate may dissolve in joint
fluid, staining the fluid and synovium a dark metallic
color. This is called metallosis
34. Aseptic Loosening
• Failure of the bond between an implant and bone in the
absence of infection.
• It is the most frequent cause of long-term implant failure
RISK FACTORS:
patients who continue to use their elbow in
strenuous activities and heavy lifting
constrained, linked prosthesis types.
• Presents with insidious onset of activity related pain in a
previously well functioning prosthesis.
35. Aseptic Loosening
Radiographic signs of loosening include:
Progressive and extensive widening of interfaces
between bone-cement, bone-prosthesis, or cement-prosthesis
Fragmentation or fracture of cement
Migration/subsidence of prosthetic components
Bead shedding in porous-coated prostheses
36. Marked loosening of humeral stem with migration
antero-laterally beyond the humeral cortex.
37. INFECTION
• Infection rates after TEA remain greater than those for total
hip or knee arthroplasties.
• Reason:
relative paucity of soft tissue coverage in the
elbow compared to the other joints.
• Typical infecting organisms are
Staphylococcus aureus ,
Staphylococcus epidemidis
38. INFECTION
• Risk factors : oral steroid use, diabetes mellitus, distant
osteomyelitis, infected prostheses at other sites &
H/O septic arthritis in the affected elbow.
Clinical signs and symptoms may consist of
• Pain
• Decreasing range of motion
• Fever
• Night sweats
• Chills
• Erythema
• Draining sinus tract
39. Radiographic features of infection include:
• Progressive and extensive widening of interfaces
between bone-cement, bone-prosthesis or cement-prosthesis
• Periosteal bone formation
• Periprosthetic bone resorption
• Soft tissue or periprosthetic gas
40. Infected total elbow arthroplasty. There is a large joint effusion (red arrow),
distended olecranon bursa (O), and irregular interface widening about the
ulnar stem (green arrow).
41. INFECTION
• Infection of elbow replacements requires aggressive
treatment with Antibiotics
Surgical management may consist of:
• Irrigation and debridement
▫ Considered when infection is acute
▫ May require repeat procedures, placing patient at risk for
soft-tissue damage
• Resection arthroplasty
▫ Hardware removed and antibiotic impregnated cement
space placed
▫ Eventually followed by revision arthroplasty
42. • Cement spacers are temporary prostheses made of
antibiotic impregnated methylmethacralate.
• The cement is prepared in the surgical site, mixed with
antibiotics, and formed by the surgeon into forms
resembling the components of the elbow arthroplasty.
Advantages :
• Provide local dispersal of antibiotics to the infected joint
area
• Maintain length
• Minimize dead space
• Preserve soft-tissue planes
• Facilitate ease of revision arthroplasty
43. PERIPROSTHETIC FRACTURES
• The rate of periprosthetic fractures after elbow arthroplasty vary
from 6% to 22%
• Classified using Mayo classification of periprosthetic
fractures after elbow arthroplasty
Fractures are classified according to
• location
• bone quality
• whether component is stable or loose
• Classification of the humerus and ulna are determined
separately.