Summary
Evidence from four case series and one comparative study suggests good outcomes following
treatment with total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) for fractures of the distal humerus.
Functional outcomes after TEA were good or excellent in the majority of patients and
complications such as loosening or infection were relatively few. Rates for heterotopic
ossification ranged from 6% - 16%, however most studies were quite small and had limited
follow-up. In the absence of any large studies comparing TEA with open reduction and
internal fixation, there is no evidence supporting TEA over ORIF.
