Elbow osteocapsular arthroplasty removes bone spurs, loose bodies, and contracted capsule to improve range of motion in an arthritic elbow — a joint-preserving alternative to replacement.
Arthroscopic or open. Bone spurs removed from coronoid and olecranon. Capsule released. Loose bodies removed. In the Outerbridge-Kashiwagi procedure, a hole is drilled through the olecranon fossa. Takes one to one and a half hours.
For primary elbow OA with stiffness and pain at extremes of motion, preserved joint space, and mechanical symptoms.
Physiotherapy, activity modification, anti-inflammatory medication, injection.
X-rays showing osteophytes with preserved joint space. CT scan.
Improvement of 20–30 degrees of arc. Pain relief from spur removal.
Over time.
Some loss of gained motion.
At risk.
Through thinned olecranon fossa.
New bone formation.
General with nerve block for immediate exercises.
Aggressive physiotherapy from day of surgery. CPM machine. Most improvement in first three months.
Frequent early reviews to monitor motion.
Best when joint space is preserved. If severely worn, elbow replacement may be better.