Elbows

[luvmexfood]

Why is it you here of people getting new hips or knees but never elbows? Reason I ask is had a coworker about 7 years ago fall of the top of a firetruck he was washing. Never could get his elbow right and couldn't straighten his arm. Workers comp issue and maybe they wouldn't pay but he had to go out on disability.

He did keep a humourous attitude about it. Said as he was laying on concrete he looked up and down came a bucket of soapy water and poured all over him on the way down. Added insult to injury.

[doctorb]

Easy answer.  Total elbow replacements in otherwise young, male, healthy individuals don't last.  They are mostly indicated for the elderly after a very comminuted (lots of pieces) fracture of the distal humerus, or in rheumatoid arthritis patients.  Never in a construction worker or someone who makes their living with their hands.

[luvmexfood]

Thanks Doc. Just something I wondered about.

[sandsawmill14]

but wouldnt it still be better than being disabled?  ??? not arguing just wondering

[doctorb]

That's the argument most of the time.  The prosthesis are usually cemented in place.  Thinking about how your elbow works, it's not just a hinge.  It is subject to tremendous torque as one uses the arm to twist things.  The cement bone interface is great under compression, meaning when you are walking on it, it can last a pretty long time.  This torque, combined with the smaller bones and smaller implants of the upper extremity, make the failure rate very high and very quick in the wrong patient.  So, it might be better, but it wouldn't be better for long.  The other options are not great either.  Thankfully, most elbow arthritis is tolerated pretty well and we don't see a lot of young healthy male patients whose disease is so advanced that a total elbow is considered.

[BradMarks]

Severely strained my right elbow when 16 yrs old.  Never healed right (my fault), never straightened out.  Calcification equals bone spurs, resulted in bone chips, led to surgery when I was 40. 4 pretty good size chips removed, elbow still doesn't straighten. No big deal, at least it works ;D

[sandsawmill14]

thanks doc    that makes sense

[luvmexfood]

I was thinking if they just wore-out I should invent a sterile grease fitting and way to grease it. Oh well. Scratch another get rich idea.

Did have an instructor at the main academy for one of our Federal Agencies tell the class when his knees bothered him he rubbed in WD-40.

[Magicman]

This elbow question and discussion has been enlightening for the curious. 

[sandhills]

Yes it has MM, I'm completely unambidextrious? (my spelling stinks too) but my right elbow pops and hurts especially when or after wrenching on things.  I think I'll take the new one with onion rings on the side to go  .

[drobertson]

 elbow hurts while sleeping, and pops during the day,  I figured too many hyper-extensions early on,