Surgical resection of heterotopic bone about the elbow: an institutional experience with traumatic and neurologic etiologies.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the outcomes of patients with elbow heterotopic ossification (HO) who underwent surgical intervention. Our goal was to elucidate differences in outcome of surgical treatment between those patients with traumatic brain injury, direct elbow trauma, or combined etiologies. In addition, we used regression analysis to adjust for confounding factors (such as age, gender, preoperative range of motion [ROM], location of HO, chronicity of HO [ie, time from HO formation to surgery], and whether motor control was spastic or normal) on the relationship between surgical outcome and etiology.

METHODS: We reviewed 60 patients (64 elbows) surgically treated for heterotopic ossification. A total of 42 patients had trauma as the primary etiology, 15 had traumatic brain injury, and 7 had combined etiologies. All had pain or functional limitations at presentation. All patients had surgical resection of their HO. Functional and ROM outcomes were recorded.

RESULTS: Mean preoperative arc of motion for the entire cohort was 57° (range, 0° to 150°). Mean postoperative arc for the entire cohort was 106° (range, 0° to 145°) at a mean follow-up of 44 months (range, 21-72 mo), demonstrating a significant gain. Average gain, in arc of motion was 49° (range, 10° to 140°). Gains in motion were not significantly different in any individual etiologic group. A total of 6% of cases were complicated by infection, 13% of cases had recurrence of HO, and 11% of cases required repeat surgery for infection or recurrence. Preoperative ROM was an important independent predictor of final range achieved and gain in ROM after surgical intervention. Recurrence rates were higher in patients with neurologic involvement. Postoperative stiffness was related to preoperative stiffness, delay of surgery longer than 12 months, and anterior location of the HO.

CONCLUSIONS: Surgical excision of heterotopic bone about the elbow results in significant gains in ROM regardless of etiology. The likelihood of recurrence is higher in patients with central nervous system injuries than in patients with purely localized trauma.