Acute complex instability of the elbow treated with internal joint stabilizer IJS-E System. / Tratamiento de la inestabilidad aguda compleja de codo con fijador interno IJS-E System.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment of acute complex fracture-dislocation of the elbow has been associated with a high rate of complications. Internal Joint Stabilizer of the Elbow (IJSE) device appears as a valid option to optimize and improve our results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present a retrospective case series of five patients treated at our institution with IJS-E System (Skeletal DynamicsR) from February 2019 to 2020. Our inclusion criteria was: patients over 18 years old surgically treated with IJS-E due to persistent elbow instability despite of a suitable osteoligamentous surgical repair. RESULTS: We obtained a total of five patients (4 males and 1 female) with an average age of 37.4 years old (24-71). The Injury pattern was posterolateral instability, TTIE in all cases. The mean final postoperative MEP score was 94 points (85-100) and the postoperative DASH score was 11.78 points (4.2-20.6) with an average follow-up of 9.8 months (6-12). We described a final arc of motion of 134° with a range of flexionbetween 120° and 140° and a mean lack of extension of 12° (5°-20°), with a complete arc of pronosupination. As complications we found one case of heterotopic ossfication and one case of elbow stiffnes. However, no complications device-related or articular incongruence were reported during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The IJS-E device appears as an effective alternative instead of external fixation. Nevertheless, a high rate of reoperation up to 100% is associated with IJS-E. A larger series, longer follow-up and prospective studies are needed to define properly his role in the surgical treatment of acute elbow instability.

Clinical results of radial arthroplasty in Hotchkiss' terrible triad, a case series of 47. / Resultados clínicos de la artroplastia radial en la tríada terrible de Hotchkiss, a propósito de 47 casos.

INTRODUCTION: Radial head fractures represent 33-75% of elbow fractures (30 cases/100,000 population/year). "Terrible triad's Hotchkiss" is characterized by radial head fracture, coronoid fracture and elbow dislocation. Our principal goal is to compare our results on each type of prosthesis in the context of the triad. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, descriptive and retrospective study. Sample size was 47 patients. Variables analyzed were affiliation, Mason's classification, surgical aspects (moment of surgery, surgical time, prosthesis type, re-surgery), rehabilitation time, causes of prosthetic failure, complications, radiographic findings (according to van Riet), Popovic's loosening areas, MEPS and Cassebaum's scales. We performed an inter-group study, on patients treated with monopolar or bipolar prosthesis, in order to see results. RESULTS: Average age was 43.5±8.9 years. 72.7% were in highly demanding jobs. Mason's fracture type iv appeared in all the cases and Regan-Morrey's type I was the most frequent coronoid fracture (42.6%). There were 22 bipolar prosthesis and 25 monopolar prosthesis. Surgery time was about 112.3±59.1minutes. External fixation was used in 6.4%. MEPS final: 85.9±15 points. Rehabilitation time was about 4.7±2.5 months. Of the patients, 76.6% returned to work. Cassebaum's results were good-excellent in 74.5% of patients. There were 3 cases of prosthetic mobilization. Heterotopic ossification appeared in 29.8% of cases and 15.2% presented overstuffing. With regard to the inter-group study, we observed that there was less surgical time with monopolar prosthesis (P=.006), fewer second look surgeries (P=.05), less stiffness (P=.04), less heterotopic ossification (P=.004) and septic loosening (P=.005), without any influence on MEPS (P=.44). CONCLUSIONS: Results obtained in terrible triads with prostheses in our experience are good. Prosthetic type influences results, because surgical time for implantation of a monopolar prosthesis was less than for a bipolar one, although rehabilitation time was longer. With bipolar prostheses, external fixation was required, with a higher rate of reinterventions, stiffness, prosthetic mobilization, heterotopic ossification and prosthetic loosening. However, there were no differences between the 2prosthetic types in terms of clinical results, like MEPS or Cassebaum scores.

Radial head arthroplasty, 11 years experience: A series of 82 patients.

OBJECTIVES: The indications for radial head arthroplasty are essentially complex fractures with ligament damage (medial, lateral or Essex-Lopresti), and/or associated with bone damage (coronoids or olecranon). The aim of this study is to review our experience with the use of a radial head prosthesis in the context of a trauma. MATERIAL AND METHOD: An observational, descriptive and retrospective study, with a follow-up of 1- 11 years, was performed on a study group of 82 patients with a mean age of 41.6 (± 9.2) years. The inclusion criteria were: patients of working age (25-64 years) with complex radial head fractures (Mason II, III, IV), with soft tissue and bone injuries that caused instability, non-reconstructable by osteosynthesis and treated using arthroplasty. The primary variables analysed were social demographics, Mason classification, or surgical aspects such as delay, surgical time, type of prosthesis (where the bipolar prosthesis was most used, 88.6%), need of fixation or further surgery. Rehabilitation time, causes of prosthesis failure, radiological findings (according to Van-Riet), areas of loosening (according to Popovic), as well as the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) and the Cassebaum scale. Various associated injuries were observed, such as injuries in the lateral collateral ligament of the elbow in 39% of cases, coronoid fractures in 25.6%, and an olecranon fracture in 15.9% of the series. There was one case of an Essex- Lopresti injury. The tests used for the statistical analysis were Chi squared and Fisher test for categorical variables and contingency tables. The Mann Whitney U or Kruskall Wallis tests were used for the numerical variables. Evidence level: IV. RESULTS: The mean surgical time was 100 (± 56.8) minutes. The prosthesis was fixed in 53.8% of cases. The mean score on the MEPS scale was 80.4 (± 19.3) points, being good-excellent in 71.6%. The elbow was stable in 93.7% of cases. There was moderate instability, with 10° or more in varus or valgus, and in 1.3% in the rest of the series. The rehabilitation time was lower in the fixed cases (P=.03), and there was greater rigidity (P=.03) and more sequelae (limitations in mobility, residual pain), (P<0.05) in the cases where the LCL had to be repaired (given that there were other serious injuries in these cases). When the surgical delay was less than one week, better results were obtained on the Cassebaum scale (P=.02), as well as more excellent results on the MEPS scale MEPS (P=.02). The prosthesis was removed in 11 cases (13.4%), with the main cause for removal being pain in pronosupination in 5 cases, and capitellar injuries in 4 cases, one dislocation, and one infections. The most frequent complication was rigidity (30.5%). There were 3 infections (3.7%). Popovic areas 1 and 7 had greater osteolysis. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of concomitant bone and ligament injuries determined a longer surgical time and more sequelae. Early surgery would achieve better clinical results.