About Elbow Joint Replacement
Joint replacement surgery is typically recommended to patients who have tried non-surgical treatment but still have joint pain. Modern total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) was developed in the 1980s.
Source: Coonrad-Morrey Total Elbow / Zimmer
TEA is now a standard treatment for a variety of degenerative and rheumatic conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis. It removes all or part of a damaged joint and replaces it with synthetic components.
Joint replacement, as a whole, is one of the most reliable and durable procedures in any area of in any area of medicine.
A follow-up study 10 to 15 years after The Zimmer Coonrad-Morrey total elbow replacement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis found:
- 92% of implants were still in place
- 86% of patients had either a good or excellent clinical result
- 14% post-operative complication rate
After most joint replacement surgeries, patients must limit or eliminate high-impact and and joint-overloading activities.
The elbow is a complex joint that is different from a simple hinge. As a result, the total elbow replacement is designed with 7 degrees of 'play' in the joint to more closely approximate the motion of a native elbow.
Sources:
- The Campbell Foundation Momentum
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- National Institutes of Health
Contact Us
Department of
Orthopaedic Surgery
1211 Union Ave. Suite 520
Memphis, TN 38104
Becky Adams
Phone: 901-448-5880
Fax: 901-448-3208
Email: badams@uthsc.edu
Campbell Foundation
Education Office
1211 Union Ave Suite 510
Memphis, TN 38104
Resident Program
Susan Coffill
Education Coordinator
Phone: 901-759-3275
Email: scoffill@uthsc.edu
Fellowship Program
Rosemary Graham
Education Coordinator
Phone: 901-759-3274
Email: rgraham5@uthsc.edu
