Unusual cases of elbow locking due to synovial cysts: a report of two cases.

Sudden and intermittent locking of the elbow joint is a com- mon complaint among patients who commonly demonstrate degenerative changes in the elbow. Common causes of elbow locking include acute trauma, osteochondritis dessicans, synovial chondromatosis, and osteoarthritis. Two cases involving patients with symptoms of elbow locking secondary to reasons other than loose bodies within the joint are presented: a synovial cyst within the posterior aspect of the elbow, specifically within the olecranon fossa causing their painful symptoms of locking. These cases present unique features in the diagnostic approaches of elbow locking due to the unexpected association with synovial cysts. We believe that these findings can shed new light on the pathogenesis of this disease.