Editorial Commentary: Arthroscopic Release of Severe Elbow Contracture Is Safe and Effective: It Can Be Done, and It Should Be Done.

Abstract

The surgical management of elbow contracture remains a challenging proposition, and both open and arthroscopic approaches have been described with varying degrees of success. In particular, previous series involving severe cases have left much to be desired in terms of clinical outcomes and complication rates. Herein lies an opportunity for innovation via alternative, arthroscopic approaches. In the hands of a single senior surgeon, arthroscopic elbow contracture release can be accomplished, even in the setting of severe, post-traumatic cases, with an expectation for substantial improvements in the arc of motion and comparable, if not better, complication rates than reported previously in other series. However, concerns regarding the reproducibility of these results persist and should compel future efforts to prove that these techniques can yield similar results among a group of surgeons.