The Kudo total elbow arthroplasty in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

A Kudo total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) was performed in 36 elbows in 35 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Of those 35, 4 died, 6 prostheses were revised, and 2 were lost to follow-up. Twenty-four elbows with a mean follow-up of 58 months were radiologically and clinically reviewed. Sixteen were scored as excellent by use of the Mayo score and Hospital for Special Surgery 2 score. The mean increase in active motion was 25°. Two humeral and four ulnar radiologic loosenings were noted. Two early dislocations were successfully treated with closed reduction and cast immobilization, two patients used an elbow brace after the closed reduction, and one patient underwent a resection arthroplasty for instability and deep wound infection. Four aseptic loosenings, of which three had an intraoperative fracture at the index operation and one had instability, were revised. Despite initially excellent results, longer follow-up of TEA in rheumatoid patients demonstrated deterioration of the outcome and increased loosening.