Purpose
Ligament repair with suture-tape augmentation has been used in the operative treatment
of joint instability and may have advantages with respect to early motion and stability.
The purpose of this investigation was to describe the clinical results of traumatic
elbow instability treated with lateral ulnar collateral ligament repair with suture-tape
augmentation.
Methods
All cases of acute and chronic elbow instability treated surgically between 2018 and
2020 were included if they underwent ligament repair with suture-tape augmentation
of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament as part of the procedure. Cases with <6 months
of follow-up were excluded. A manual chart review was performed to record patient
demographics as well as injury and surgery characteristics. Radiographic outcomes,
range of motion, and patient-reported outcome measures, including the visual analog
pain scale and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, were recorded. Range of
motion measurements were recorded at the end of the clinical follow-up, as were surgical
complications.
Results
Eighteen cases were included with a mean follow-up of 20 months. Five (28%) cases
involved a high-energy mechanism, and 11 (62%) cases involved terrible triad fracture
dislocations. The mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire and
visual analog pain scale scores were 17 and 2, respectively. The mean flexion-extension
arc was 124°, and 2 (11%) cases had <100° flexion-extension arc. There were 2 (11%)
postoperative complications, and both cases had postoperative instability requiring
reoperation. We observed no cases of capitellar erosion from the suture-tape material.
Conclusions
For complex elbow instability, ligament repair with suture-tape augmentation of the
lateral ulnar collateral ligament results in acceptable functional outcomes and a
reoperation rate comparable with other joint stabilization procedures.
Type of study/level of evidence
Therapeutic IV.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 18, 2022
Accepted:
October 26,
2022
Received:
July 1,
2022
Footnotes
No benefits in any form have been received or will be received related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
Identification
Copyright
© 2023 by the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.
