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Abstract
Sixty-two patients with post-traumatic radiologically visualized effusion in the elbow
joint, apparently without bony damage, were randomized to either 1 week of immobilization
in a plaster or immediately instructed in active exercises without any immobilization.
They were reexamined by an arthopaedic surgeon weekly until recovery. New radiographs
were taken after 1 week. Reevaluation of the radiographs by a radiologist revealed
seven ‘false-positive’ effusions, i.e. neither effusion nor fracture, and 21 missed
factures. All but five missed fractures, continued in the study. Thirty patients started
immediate active exercises instructed by the surgeon and 27 were immobilized. The
‘active exercise’ group had a significantly shorter recovery time (one week vs two weeks, P<0.05). The presence of missed fractures did not influence the result and all patients
recovered fully. Also four of the excluded patients with missed fractures recovered
fully. One patient with missed fracture dropped out from follow-up. We recommend that
an apparently isolated post-traumatic effusion in the elbow joint is treated with
immediate active exercises followed by a clinical reexamination after one week supplemented
with new radiographs if there is unsatisfactory clinical progress.
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 19,
1995
Identification
Copyright
© 1995 Published by Elsevier Inc.
