Year: 2025 | Month: November | Volume: 12 | Issue: 11 | Pages: 297-303
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20251132
Soft Tissue Interposition Arthroplasty and Hinged Bar External Fixation in Young Male with Ankylosed Elbow Joint: A Case Report
I Made Bagus Surya Mahapriandana Sari1, Anak Agung Gde Yuda Asmara1
1Orthopedic and Traumatology Department, Medical Faculty of Udayana University/ Ngoerah Hospital, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia
Corresponding Author: I Made Bagus Surya Mahapriandana Sari
ABSTRACT
Ankylosis of the elbow, especially in young individuals, severely impairs upper limb function and quality of life. This study aims to present the use of soft tissue interposition arthroplasty combined with hinged bar external fixation in managing left elbow joint ankylosis in a young adult male. A 19-year-old male presented with a diagnosis of left elbow joint ankylosis. The surgical procedure included osteotomy, soft tissue interposition arthroplasty using contralateral fascia lata, and stabilization with a hinged bar external fixator. Intraoperative findings included fibrotic tissue, significant trochlear erosion (>50%), and synostosis of the radial head and ulna. The ulnar nerve was preserved. The operation resulted in successful graft placement and stable fixation at 90° elbow flexion. After surgery, the patient was conscious with well-controlled pain and intact neurovascular status. Wound condition was clean with no discharge, and the external fixator was functioning well. Distal active range of motion was preserved. The wound care was performed every 2 days and external fixation was maintained for 4 weeks. The successful management of elbow ankylosis in this young male using soft tissue interposition arthroplasty combined with hinged bar external fixation demonstrates the potential of this technique as a motion-preserving alternative to total elbow arthroplasty. This case illustrates the technical feasibility and early favorable outcome of soft tissue interposition arthroplasty combined with external fixation for elbow ankylosis in a young patient, offering hope for functional restoration without prosthetic replacement.
Keywords: elbow ankylosis, fascia lata graft, hinged external fixator, interposition arthroplasty, motion-preserving surgery
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