Elbow arthroscopy in the pediatric and adolescent population.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to show the diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of elbow arthroscopy in athletically active pediatric patients. We describe our techniques for elbow arthroscopy in young patients.

TYPE OF STUDY: Case series of 47 patients.

METHODS

We reviewed 49 cases of elbow arthroscopies performed in 47 pediatric and adolescent patients retrospectively over a 16-year period. Charts were reviewed to identify the age of patients at the time of surgery, side involved, hand dominance, diagnosis, complications, the primary sport involved, and the average volume of loose bodies if surgical removal was performed. Each patient was contacted after a minimum of 2 years after surgery and a modified Andrews elbow scoring system was used to rate elbow function.

RESULTS

The average age of this group was 14.0 years (range, 3.5 to 17.0 years) with an average follow-up of 4.7 years. Elbow arthroscopy was performed for osteochondritis dissecans (58%), arthrofibrosis and joint contracture (20%), synovitis (10%), acute trauma (10%), and posterior olecranon impingement syndrome (5%). Based on a modified Andrews elbow scoring system, 85% of patients had good or excellent result with 90% of the children returning to sports without limitation. No patient experienced nerve injury, infection, or loss of elbow motion as a postoperative complication.

CONCLUSIONS

This series shows that elbow arthroscopy has a safe and effective role in the treatment of selective elbow pathologies in the pediatric and adolescent population when performed by experienced small joint arthroscopists.