Elbow arthritis: current concepts.

The purpose of this article is to provide an update and analyze current management, treatment options, and outcomes of elbow arthritis. This article focuses on studies that have been published in the past 5 years. Nonoperative management may provide symptomatic relief in the early stages of the disease process for most patients. Surgical treatment is guided by disease etiology and severity, patient age, and functional demands. Arthroscopic or open synovectomy, debridement arthroplasty, and interposition arthroplasty are generally recommended for the young and active patient population, whereas for low-demand and elderly patients with end-stage painful arthritis, total elbow arthroplasty is considered a more suitable surgical option. Advances in arthroscopic techniques and implant design have led to substantial improvements in treatment of elbow arthritis.