Revisions for aseptic loosening in Souter-Strathclyde elbow arthroplasty: incidence of revisions of different components used in 522 consecutive cases.

We present the prosthesis survival of the 7 most commonly used component types of 522 primary Souter elbow replacements performed in the Rheumatism Foundation Hospital during the years 1982-1997. The cohort comprised 370 female and 33 male patients with a mean age of 57 (20-81) years. 119 patients had a bilateral procedure. The indications for operation in all cases were rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory joint disease. The mean duration of the disease at the time of operation was 25 (2-70) years. Elbows were often severely destroyed and, in one thiird of the joints, essential bone structures were missing. Therefore, in 178 cases, the ulnar components were retentive and in the remaining 344 elbows with better bone stock non-retentive. 47 patients had 51 operations for aseptic loosening up to the end of year 2000. In the survival analysis, the general cumulative success rates for the whole study cohort, without revision because of aseptic loosening 5 and10 years after surgery, were 96% and 84%, respectively. Revision was used as an end point. Cumulative success rates of the 7 most commonly used components are presented separately. The highest 5-year-survival rate was 100%, the lowest 93%. The corresponding 10-year-survival rates were 91% and 76%, respectively.