Arthroscopic surgery of the elbow. Therapeutic benefits and hazards.

In this study, 22 patients were reviewed who underwent arthroscopic surgery of the elbow mainly for loose bodies or osteochondrotic lesions. Of these, 12 patients rated the result as good or excellent, 4 had slight improvement, and 6 were not satisfied. The average score (Hospital of Special Surgery scoring system; maximum 100 points) was raised from 70 points to 87 points after surgery. Patients with loose bodies in the elbow and no severe damage of the articular cartilage benefitted most. The results in patients with marked degenerative changes differed considerably.