Results of the Treatment of Patients With Elbow Osteoarthritis

Results of the Treatment of Patients With Elbow Osteoarthritis

The study is a prospective case controlled clinical trial. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of elbow arthroscopy in the treatment for osteoarthritis of the elbow when compared to conservative treatment.

Patients will be recruited at departments of hand surgery and orthopedic surgery outpatient clinics. The control group will be patients to whom the conservative treatment continues. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be asked to participate and sign the informed consent. Therefore the investigators have two treatment groups: group 1 who receives an elbow joint debridement arthroscopically without physiotherapy and group 2 who receives only conservative treatment with physiotherapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Symptomatic post-traumatic or primary osteoarthritis - mechanical locking and/or decreased range of motion ( >30°)
• Radiographic evidence of at least mild primary or post-traumatic osteoarthritis according to Broberg - Morrey classification symptoms lasting at least 6 months
• Patients willingness to participate the study
• All patients 18-80 ages

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with previous severe soft tissue trauma at elbow region ( crush, burns etc - the elbow joint problems are not joint specific)
• Patients with crystal arthropathy or inflammatory arthritis
• Patient refuses to participate the study
• Patients with dementia or are institutionalized
• Patients with severe substance addiction
• Patient does not understand written and spoken guidance