Failure of an elbow endoprosthesis.

In a patient with a severely damaged elbow, the complication of gas gangrene could be controlled without amputating the arm. However, massive bony defects resulted in a flail elbow joint and an attempt to fit a specially designed endoprosthesis replacement failed. Four years post-injury, the flail joint was fused by three bone grafts on three separate occasions. These experiences are reported and discussed.