Ulnohumeral arthroplasty.

Seven patients underwent 9 ulnohumeral arthroplasties for degenerative arthritis of the elbow. At mean follow-up of 26 months, 5 elbows were pain free; two continued to cause mild pain and one to cause moderate pain. Extension improved from 22 degrees+/-8 degrees preoperatively to 12 degrees+/-9 degrees postoperatively (p=0.02); the average correction was 10 degrees+/-10 degrees. Flexion improved from 122 degrees+/-8 degrees to 133 degrees +/- 8 degrees (p=0.02); the average correction was 11 degrees+/-11 degrees. One patient had a late supracondylar humerus fracture which healed well with open reduction and internal fixation. Overall, we believe that ulnohumeral arthroplasty is relatively safe and easy to perform. Our patients did have modest improvements in range of motion, but complete relief of pain occurred in only about two thirds of the patients.