Elbow arthrodesis after war injuries.

Arthrodesis is a surgical procedure that results in fusion of the joint and bony ankylosis. With this operation, we can achieve satisfactory function of the limb in cases in which options for different treatments no longer exist. Severe joint destruction, joint infections, and nonunions, as well as complex war injuries (with large bone and soft tissue defects), are indications for arthrodesis. The elbow is the most susceptible joint of the upper limb to war injury. Between 1992 and 1995, we performed elbow arthrodesis for nine patients in our department after war injuries. As analysis of our results shows, elbow arthrodesis, although a rarely performed surgical procedure, is the best treatment for patients with complex war injuries of the elbow. For arthrodesis, we used external fixation in combination with internal fixation (cancellous bone screw) and additional autologous cancellous bone grafts.