SURGICAL RELEASE OF ELBOW-CAPSULAR CONTRACTURE IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS

Nine pediatric patients with elbow-capsular contractures were treated by surgical release. Six patients had sustained prior trauma and three patients had medical conditions leading to capsular contracture. A la teral approach was used to release the anterior and posterior capsules , as well as to remove sites of bony impingement. All patients were tr eated with postoperative range of motion and splinting, with six patie nts receiving a continuous brachial plexus block to facilitate therapy . Average loss of extension improved from 47 to 15-degrees, mean angle of flexion from 102 to 124-degrees, and total arc of motion increased from 55 to 108-degrees at an average of 17 months after surgery. Comp lications included wound infection and catheter-site erythema.