Successful Elbow Arthrodesis Surgery After Infected Total Elbow Arthroplasty: a case report

Case report

The aim of this case is presentation the surgical technique and result of a case in which we performed arthrodesis after infected elbow arthroplasty.
Material and method. A 30-year-old male patient was treated with complex elbow fracture 10 years ago. Total Elbow Arthroplasty (TEA) was administered in 2015 for the cause of post-traumatic arthrosis. Five months after the surgery, he developed a deep infection in his elbow. TEA was removed with surgery again. Without implantation, implant extraction and post-debridement antibiotherapy were applied and the infection was resolved. The patient was scheduled for arthrodesis.
Conclusion. Arthrodesis is recommended as a salvage operation in severe elbow joint diseases. The movement of other joints in the upper extremity compensates for elbow arthrodesis. If there is adequate bone stock and live soft tissue, the compression plate and arthrodesis results are successful. A successful return is expected if fusion occurs in infected cases after total elbow arthroplasty. However, in the literature there is very little data on arthrodesis after TEA.

Key words:

elbow arthroplasty, arthrodesis, infection