The risk of neurological deterioration while using neoadjuvant denosumab on patients with giant cell tumor of the spine presenting with epidural disease: a meta-analysis of the literature.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Giant cell tumor (GCT) of bone is most commonly a benign but locally aggressive primary bone tumor. Spinal GCTs account for 2.7% to 6.5% of all GCTs in bone. En bloc resection, which is the preferred treatment for GCT of the spine, may not always be feasible due to the location, extent of the tumor, and/or the patient's comorbidities. Neoadjuvant denosumab has recently been shown to be effective in downstaging GCT, decreasing the size and extent of GCTs. However, the risk of neurologic deterioration is of major concern for patients with epidural spinal cord compression due to spinal GCT. We experienced this concern when a patient presented to our institution with a midthoracic spinal GCT with progressive epidural disease. The patient was not a good surgical candidate due to severe cardiac disease and uncontrolled diabetes. In considering nonoperative management for this patient, we asked ourselves the following question: What is the risk that this patient will develop neurologic deterioration if we do not urgently operate and opt to treat him with denosumab instead? PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the literature to (1) determine the risk of neurological deterioration in patients receiving neoadjuvant denosumab for the treatment of spinal GCT and (2) to evaluate the secondary outcomes including radiographic features, surgical/technical complexity, and histological features after treatment. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Meta-analysis of the literature. PATIENT SAMPLE: Surgical cases of spinal GCT that (1) presented with type III Campanacci lesions, (2) had epidural disease classified as Bilsky type 1B or above and (3) received neoadjuvant denosumab therapy. OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure of interest was neurologic status during denosumab treatment. Secondary outcome measures of interest included radiographic features, surgical/technical complexity, histological features, tumor recurrence, and metastasis. METHODS: Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, PubMed and Embase electronic databases were searched in August 2022 for articles reporting spinal GCTs treated with neoadjuvant denosumab and surgery. Keywords used were "Spine" AND "Giant Cell Tumor" AND "Denosumab." RESULTS: A total of 428 articles were identified and screened. A total of 22 patients from 12 studies were included for review. 17 patients were female (17/22, 77%), mean age was 32 years (18-62 years) and average follow-up was 21 months. Most GCTs occurred in the thoracic and thoracolumbar spine (11 patients, 50%), followed by 36% in the lumbar spine and 14% in the cervical spine. Almost half of the patients had neurological deficits at presentation (10/22 patients, 45%), and more than 60% had Bilsky 2 or 3 epidural spinal cord compression. None of the patients deteriorated neurologically, irrespective of their neurological status at presentation (p-value=.02, CI -2.58 to -0.18). There were no local recurrences reported. One patient was found to have lung nodules postoperatively. More than 90% of cases had decreased overall tumor size and increased bone formation. Surgical dissection was facilitated in more than 85% of those who had documented surgical procedures. Four patients (18%) underwent initial spinal stabilization followed by neoadjuvant denosumab and then surgical excision of the GCT. Regarding the histologic analyses, denosumab eradicated the giant cells in 95% of cases. However, residual Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor Kappa B Ligand (RANKL)-positive stromal cells were noted, in 27% (6 cases). CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant denosumab was a safe and effective means of treating spinal GCTs prior to surgery. Neurologic status remained stable or improved in all cases included in our review, irrespective of the presenting neurologic status. The most appropriate dosage and duration of denosumab therapy is yet to be determined. We recommend future well-designed studies to further evaluate the use of neoadjuvant denosumab for patients with spinal GCT.

Surgical Management of the Metastatic Spine Disease: A Review of the Literature and Proposed Algorithm.

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative Review. The spine remains the most common site for bony metastasis. It is estimated that up to 70% of cancer patients harbor secondary spinal disease. And up to 10% will develop a clinically significant lesion. The last two decades have seen a substantial leap forward in the advancements of the management of spinal metastases. What once was a death sentence is now a manageable, even potentially treatable condition. With marked advancements in the surgical treatment and post-operative radiotherapy, a standardized approach to stratify and manage these patients is both prudent and now feasible. OBJECTIVES: This article looks to examine the best available evidence in the stratification and surgical management of patients with spinal metastases. So the aim of this review is to offer a standardized approach for surgical management and surgical planning of patients with spinal metastases.

Increased Severity of Anemia Is Associated with Postoperative Complications following a Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Anemia is a modifiable risk factor for postoperative complications following surgery. This study aimed to determine the impact of preoperative anemia severity on 30-day postoperative complications following adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. METHODS: Adults undergoing spinal fusion for ASD from 2012 to 2018 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were substratified into 3 cohorts-non-anemia, mild anemia, and moderate-to-severe anemia-based on World Health Organization definitions. We assessed 30-day wound, cardiac, pulmonary, renal, and thromboembolic complications, as well as sepsis, mortality, postoperative transfusions, extended length of stay, and reoperation. Bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: Of 2173 patients, 1694 (78%) had no anemia, 307 (14%) had mild anemia, and 172 (8%) had moderate or severe anemia. Following adjustments, patients with mild anemia were more likely to have postoperative blood transfusions (odds ratio [OR] 1.80, P < 0.001) and extended length of stay (OR 1.43, P < 0.001). Patients with moderate-to-severe anemia were at increased risk of organ space infection (OR 3.27, P = 0.028), death (OR 13.15, P = 0.001), postoperative blood transfusion (OR 2.81, P < 0.001), and extended length of stay (OR 3.02, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found a stepwise and approximately two-fold increase in the odds ratio of postoperative transfusion and length of stay with increasing severity of anemia. Moderate-to-severe anemia was associated with increased odds of death and organ space infection. Patients with moderate-to-severe anemia should be medically optimized before ASD surgery.

30-day postoperative sepsis risk factors following laminectomy for intradural extramedullary tumors.

Background: Posterior laminectomy (LA) for resection of intradural extramedullary tumors (IDEMTs) is associated with postoperative complications, including sepsis. Sepsis is an uncommon but serious complication that can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospital stays, and greater costs. Given the susceptibility of a solid tumor patients to sepsis-related complications, it is important to recognize IDEMT patients as a unique population when assessing the risk factors for sepsis after laminectomy. Methods: The study design was a retrospective cohort study. Adult patients undergoing LA for IDEMTs from 2012 to 2018 were identified in the American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Baseline patient characteristics/comorbidities, operative and hospital variables, and 30-day postoperative complications were collected. Results: Of 2,027 total patients undergoing LA for IDEMTs, 38 (2%) had postoperative sepsis. On bivariate analysis sepsis was associated with superficial surgical site infection [odds ratio (OR) 11.62, P<0.001], deep surgical site infection (OR 10.67, P<0.001), deep vein thrombosis (OR 10.75, P<0.001), pulmonary embolism (OR 15.27, P<0.001), transfusion (OR 6.18, P<0.001), length of stay greater than five days (OR 5.41, P<0.001), and return to the operating room within thirty days (OR 8.72, P<0.001). Subsequent multivariate analysis identified the following independent risk factors for sepsis and septic shock: operative time ≥50th percentile (OR 2.11, P=0.032), higher anesthesia class (OR 1.76, P=0.046), dependent functional status (OR 2.23, P=0.001), diabetes (OR 2.31, P=0.037), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 3.56, P=0.037). Conclusions: These findings can help spine surgeons identify high-risk patients and proactively deploy measures to avoid this potentially devastating complication in individuals who may be more vulnerable than the general elective spine population.

Statistical Fragility of Ketamine Infusion During Scoliosis Surgery to Reduce Opioid Tolerance and Postoperative Pain.

OBJECTIVE: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have come under scrutiny due to a frequent lack of reproducibility, due in part to shortcomings of the common P < 0.05 threshold for significance. Here, we utilize fragility indices to assess the statistical robustness of RCTs evaluating low-dose ketamine during scoliosis surgery to reduce opioid tolerance and postoperative pain. METHODS: RCTs evaluating outcomes after intraoperative ketamine infusion in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients were included. Relevant outcomes included pain, opioid consumption, quality of life, anesthesia, sedation, adverse effects, and length of stay. The dichotomous fragility index or continuous fragility index (FI or CFI) was determined by manipulating each outcome event until reversal of significance (a = 0.05) was achieved. The corresponding fragility quotients were calculated by dividing the FI or CFI by the sample size. RESULTS: Of 27 studies screened, 6 studies (61 outcome events) were included. The median FI for dichotomous events was 2.0 (fragility quotient = 0.045), suggesting that altering the outcome of only 2 patients (or 4.5 out of 100) would reverse trial significance. For continuous events, altering the treatment of only 6 patients (or 14.1 out of 100) would reverse significance. Outcome events that were originally reported as significant (P < 0.05) were considerably more fragile (FI = 1.5; CFI = 3.5) than events that were reported as nonsignificant (FI = 2.0; CFI = 7.0). CONCLUSIONS: While evidence for ketamine use is promising, our fragility analysis suggests that RCT findings may be underpowered in some cases. Given the importance of RCTs in clinical decision-making, fragility indices should be reported alongside P values to indicate the strength of statistical findings.

Laminectomy Versus Laminectomy with Fusion for Intradural Extramedullary Tumors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of our systematic review and meta-analysis was to systematically compare the reported outcomes between laminectomy and laminectomy with fixation/fusion (LF) for the treatment of intradural extramedullary tumors (IDEMTs). Our secondary objective was to compare the outcomes between different laminectomy exposure techniques. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were queried for literature on laminectomy and LF for IDEMTs. Reports of transforaminal approaches, interlaminar approaches, corpectomy, pediatrics patients, intramedullary tumors, technical studies, animal or cadaver studies, and literature reviews were excluded. The outcome measures recorded were pain, neurologic function, functional independence, cerebrospinal fluid leak, and wound infection. Where possible, the laminectomy technique (partial laminectomy [PL] vs. total laminectomy [TL]) was specified. Stata, version 17, was used for the fixed effects inverse variance meta-analysis. RESULTS: Of 1849 reports assessed, 17 were included. The meta-analysis revealed that laminectomy (PL or TL) resulted in higher rates of postoperative sagittal instability compared with LF (odds ratio, 1.81; P < 0.001). No differences in any other postoperative outcome were observed between laminectomy and LF (P = 0.44). The systematic review also revealed no differences in postoperative pain, neurologic function, or functional independence or disability between PL and TL. Some evidence suggested that TL might result in greater rates of sagittal instability compared with PL. CONCLUSIONS: No differences between LF, PL, or TL in pain, neurologic deficit, functional independence, cerebrospinal fluid leak, or wound infection were reported. Laminectomy had greater odds of sagittal instability compared with LF. Patients with preoperative sagittal instability requiring extensive removal of the posterior spinal column to achieve adequate resection of large tumors might benefit from LF.

Pseudotumor after total disc replacement in the lumbar spine: A case report and review of the literature.

Background: Total disc replacement as a treatment for degenerative disc disease is gaining increased popularity. There is limited data in the literature about formation of a pseudotumor as a complication following this procedure. We report a very rare case of a pseudotumor after a lumbar total disc replacement with a review of the literature. Methods: A case study of a 49-year-old lady, who underwent L4-L5 total disc replacement and presented one year later with progressive back pain radiating to both lower extremities. Imaging revealed a soft tissue mass around the prosthesis. A review of the literature for similar cases has been done and reviewed. Results: Imaging revealed a soft tissue mass around the prosthesis and left hydronephrosis. CT venogram for leg swelling showed total occlusion of the left common iliac vein. CT myelogram showed compression of the cauda from the pseudotumor. The prosthesis was removed and replaced by an allograft fusion cage and plate. Intraoperatively both extremities became pulseless and bilateral common iliac arteries thrombectomy was carried out. This occurred again after closure immediately and bilaterally femoral artery exploration and thrombectomy was carried out. Histopathology showed a soft tissue with fibrinous necrosis and lymphohistiocytic inflammation. Conclusion: Soft tissue reaction and pseudotumor formation can be induced by Metal-on-Metal total disc replacement prostheses. Neurologic, vascular, and visceral complications may occur. In this case implant removal can stopped progression of the soft tissue reaction. Most patients in the literature benefit from implant removal followed by spinal fusion.

Endosteal substitution with medial plate in the treatment of acute distal femur fracture (AO/OTA type A): surgical technique and case-series.

INTRODUCTION: Distal Femur fractures account for 4- 6% of all femur fractures and can be challenging to treat. The aims of this study are: (1) to describe a surgical technique using a medial distal femur endosteal plate to augment the stability of standard lateral plate fixation; (2) to report the results of a case-series of acute distal femur fractures (AO/OTA Type A/ Vancouver periprosthetic fractures Type C) treated using this technique. METHODS: This study describes the surgical steps for placement of a medial endosteal plate in combination with lateral locking plate in a cadaver model using fluoroscopy guidance. In addition, a retrospective database chart review for all patients with acute distal femur fractures treated with this technique over the last five years was performed. Exclusion criteria were involvement of type B and C distal femur intraarticular fractures, treatment with other endosteal substitutions (i.e., intramedullary nail fixation and fibula allograft), and treatment for non-union or pathological fractures. RESULTS: Twelve patients were identified with mean age of 75 years. All patients were female and all of them were allowed full weight bearing and full range of motion exercises immediately post-operatively. The complete follow up for one patient was not available; however, the mean fracture union was confirmed at 3.8 months in 10 of 12 patients. One patient had a failed construct at three months in the context of a periprosthetic fracture with a loose implant that was initially thought to be stable. One acute superficial surgical site infection was reported and healed uneventfully following debridement, primary closure, and antibiotic treatment. CONCLUSION: We believe that the placement of a medial endosteal plate can be a useful augment for standard lateral plate fixation in acute distal femur fractures, particularly in the context of severe comminution or poor bone quality. Uneventful healing was confirmed in 10 of 12 cases and no patients were restricted with regard to motion or weight bearing immediately post-operatively. Further studies with larger sample size would be required to fully assess this technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV. Therapeutic Study (Surgical technique and Cases-series).

Gram-Negative Surgical Site Infections After 989 Spinal Fusion Procedures: Associated Factors and the Role of Gram-Negative Prophylactic Antibiotic Coverage.

BACKGROUND: To identify, analyze, and report the patient- and procedure-related factors associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after spinal fusion (SF) surgery. METHODS: We included any SSI-SF from January 2013 to September 2015. A total of 989 spine surgeries that required instrumentation were performed. RESULTS: Twenty-four out of 989 (2.43%) patients presented with SSI. More than half of the SSI cases (54%) got infected with either exclusively gram-negative bacteria or a combination of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria; 9.1% of the surgeries involved the sacral spine (90 out of 989 patients). SSI in long constructs (more than 3 levels) was performed in 66.7% compared with 33.3% with short constructs; 87.5 % of the reported SSI (21 patients) were done through a posterior approach. Of patients who had SSI, 87.5% received prophylactic antibiotics, 92% were operated on during the daytime shift, 50% required blood transfusion, and 79% required surgical debridement. Four patients out of 24 patients died (17%) due to unrelated SSI complications. CONCLUSIONS: The overall incidence of gram-negative infections after long SFs remains low in our study population. Despite this low overall incidence, our results demonstrate a relative higher incidence of gram-negative SSIs in surgeries involving more than 3 spinal levels and for all those involving the sacral spine. We propose that there may be a potential benefit of gram-negative prophylactic antibiotic coverage in patients falling in either 1 of these categories. Further multivariate analysis and/or randomized studies may be necessary to confirm our results. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Thirty-Day Mortality in COVID-19 Positive Patients With Hip Fractures: A Case-Series and Literature Review.

INTRODUCTION: The novel coronavirus has spread rapidly around the world with particularly high mortality in the elderly. Care and nursing homes have become the sites of greatest concentration of cases. We intended to review 30-day mortality of COVID-19 patients with hip fractures. This is relevant given the disease impact in this age group. METHODS: Medline and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies linked to mortality and morbidity in COVID-19 patients who have undergone non-elective hip surgeries using the keywords "COVID-19"OR "SARS-cov-2"OR "Coronavirus Infections"; AND "Surgery"OR "Hip"OR "Fracture"OR "Orthopedics." We included all patients with hip fractures, but excluded pathological fractures and other non-traumatic hip pathologies. Four-hundred and eighty-one articles were identified for screening, in addition to an unpublished case-series of 67 patients that have 3 cases turned positive for COVID 19, yielding a total of 50patients for the final review. RESULTS: The study included 4 articles published until May 9th 2020 and a case-series: 26(52%) patients were females; the median age was 86years; hypertension(53.6%), diabetes mellitus type II(28.6%), and coronary artery heart disease(25%) were the most common comorbidities; 34(68%) patients had intertrochanteric hip fracture and 16(32%) patients had femoral neck fractures; 22(59.5%) patients underwent cephalomedullary nail fixation, 12(32.4%) patients had hemiarthroplasty, and for 3(8.1%) patients, the type of surgery was not documented; 20(40%) patients died(12patients died before the surgery and 8died after surgery at a median time of 3days), 29(76.3%) patients had an unremarkable course throughout hospitalization and were discharged including 1(2.6%) patient managed non-operatively, and 1(2.6%) patient was admitted to the ICU after the surgery but eventually discharged. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 infected elderly patients have a higher 30-days mortality rate compared to non-COVID-19 infected cases. Further studies are warranted to look at the morbidity and mortality rates in COVID-19 positive patients with hip fractures and to investigate how these outcomes can be improved. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Arthroscopic Management of Synovial Chondromatosis of the Ankle Joint: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Synovial chondromatosis (SC) of the ankle is a rare disorder in which metaplastic proliferation of synovia, tendon sheaths, and/or bursae leads to the formation of loose cartilaginous bodies within the joint space. While SC itself is a benign condition, its sequelae can be chronic and debilitating if left untreated, or if there is postoperative recurrence. Arthritic degeneration and malignant transformation to chondrosarcoma are among the more serious complications in the natural history of the disease; the latter occurs in approximately 5% of cases. We performed a systematic review of the literature on the arthroscopic management of ankle SC in order to better understand recurrence patterns and suggest an alternative approach to open arthrotomy. METHODS: Using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the PubMed and Embase databases were searched for relevant articles related to arthroscopic surgical management of patients with confirmed SC of the ankle. Article selection and data abstraction were performed in 3 steps by 3 independent reviewers. RESULTS: The initial search retrieved 116 articles, of which 15 were included. Those studies included 22 patients (14 to 63 years of age; 77% male) who were followed for a mean of 27 months (range, 8 weeks to 12 years) postoperatively. The cases represented a mix of primary and secondary SC etiologies, and almost entirely stage-III disease. Arthroscopic synovectomy with excision of loose bodies was a consistent feature of treatment, and bursectomy, debridement of osteochondral lesions or involved tendons, and osteophyte resection were performed as indicated. All but 1 case employed an anterior approach including anteromedial and anterolateral portals, and in several cases a 4-portal technique was used, which was subsequently proposed as a necessary approach for the definitive treatment of ankle SC. On the basis of the available data, complication and recurrence rates following arthroscopic management were very low. CONCLUSIONS: A growing pool of evidence is emerging to suggest favorable outcomes for arthroscopic treatment of SC of the ankle joint. However, more data on patient and surgical variables, as well as comparative studies with longer follow-up, are needed in order to draw definitive conclusions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Bisphosphonates Versus Denosumab for Prevention of Pathological Fracture in Advanced Cancers With Bone Metastasis: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Metastasis to the bone is one of the most common complications associated with advanced cancer. Patients with bone metastases are at risk of devastating skeletal related events, including pathological fractures. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to analyze the efficacy of zoledronic acid (ZA) versus denosumab in the prevention of pathological fractures in patients with bone metastases from advanced cancers by evaluating all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on this subject. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed and MEDLINE) was performed to identify all published RCTs comparing ZA with denosumab in prevention of pathological fractures in bone metastases. Risk of bias of the studies was assessed. The primary outcomes evaluated were pathological fractures. RESULTS: Four RCTs (7,320 patients) were included. Denosumab was superior to ZA in reducing the likelihood of pathological fractures, when all tumor types were combined (odds ratio [OR] 0.86, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74 to 0.99, P = 0.04). Denosumab was favored, although not statistically significant, over ZA in endodermal origin (breast and prostate) (OR 0.85, 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.05, P = 0.13) and mesodermal origin tumors (solid tumors and multiple myeloma) (OR 0.87, 95% CI, 0.71 to 1.06, P = 0.16). DISCUSSION: Denosumab moderately reduces the likelihood of pathological fractures in comparison to ZA in patients with bone metastases with statistical significance. When pathological fractures were grouped by tumor origin (endodermal or mesodermal), no statistical difference was observed between denosumab and ZA. Further long-term studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of these treatment regimens.

Zoledronic Acid Versus Denosumab for Prevention of Spinal Cord Compression in Advanced Cancers With Spine Metastasis: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). OBJECTIVES: The aim was to analyze the efficacy of zoledronic acid (ZA) versus denosumab in the prevention of spinal cord compression in patients with spine metastases from advanced cancers, by evaluating all available RCTs on this subject. METHODS: A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed and MEDLINE) was performed to identify all published RCTs comparing ZA with denosumab in prevention of spinal cord compressions in spine metastases. Risk of bias of the studies was assessed. The primary outcomes evaluated were spinal cord compression. RESULTS: Three RCTs (5274 patients) were included. Denosumab was not significantly superior to ZA in reducing the likelihood of spinal cord compression, when all tumor types were combined (odds ratio [OR] 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI; 0.66, 1.28], P = .66). Denosumab was not significantly favored over ZA in endodermal origin (breast and prostate; OR 0.72, 95% CI [0.43, 1.19], P = .20) and mesodermal origin tumors (solid tumors and multiple myeloma; OR 1.10, 95% CI [0.72, 1.69], P = .66). CONCLUSION: Denosumab does not significantly reduce the likelihood of spinal cord compressions in comparison to ZA in patients with spine metastases. When spinal cord compressions were grouped by tumor origin (endodermal or mesodermal), there remained no significant difference between denosumab and ZA. Further long-term studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of these treatment regimens.

The surgical outcome and recurrence rate of tenosynovial giant cell tumor in the elbow: a literature review.

BACKGROUND: Tenosynovial giant cell tumor (TSGCT) is a rare proliferative disorder of the synovium. Because of its aggressive nature and recurrence potential, treatment of TSGCT involves surgical resection with or without synovectomy. There is currently a paucity of literature describing the surgical management of TSGCT at the elbow. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and recurrence rates following open and arthroscopic excision of TSGCT in the elbow. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for relevant articles relating to surgical management of TSGCT of the elbow. We included all patients who received surgical treatment for TSGCT, with no age limitations. We excluded any nonsurgical treatment studies. Seventy-seven articles were identified for screening, and a total of 27 patients from 24 studies were included for the review. RESULTS: The patients' mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 40.3 (21.7) years, and the most common presenting symptoms included pain (18/27, 66.7%), swelling (19/27, 70.4%), and decreased range of motion of the elbow (9/27, 33.3%). The majority of patients underwent open excision with or without synovectomy (23/27, 85.1%). Of those undergoing open procedures, 16 (16/23,69.6%) had diffuse TSGCT and 14 (14/23, 60.9%) remained symptom free for a mean (SD) follow-up of 38.9 (25.4) months. Four patients (4/27, 14.8%) were treated arthroscopically, all of whom had diffuse disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our review found that open synovectomy appears to be an effective treatment for both localized and diffuse TSGCT in the elbow, and arthroscopic synovectomy is emerging as a method of surgical management for diffuse TSGCT. However, because of the limited number of patients undergoing surgery for TSGCT, further studies are needed to make a definite conclusion.