Primary total elbow arthroplasty

There have been significant improvements in surgical techniques and implant designs of elbow arthroplasty over the last five decades. These advances have resulted in improved outcomes and expansion of indications for total elow arthroplasty (TEA). As the proportion of TEAs being performed for inflammatory arthritis has been decreasing in recent years, TEAs are being performed more commonly for the management of acute distal humerus fractures in the elderly, post-traumatic sequelae, and primary osteoarthritis. Appropriate patient selection and meticulous attention to surgical technique including the surgical approach, implant positioning and fixation will result in acceptable outcomes. Future advances in the design, instrumentation, and surgical technique will allow for further improvement in outcomes as the indications for TEA continue to expand.