Elbow Swelling Research Articles

A 40-Year-Old Man with Chronic Elbow Swelling after Minor Trauma

A 40-Year-Old Man with Chronic Elbow Swelling after Minor Trauma

Effects of cold water immersion on the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage

Cryotherapy is an effective treatment for acute sports injury to soft tissue, although the effect of cryotherapy on exercise-induced muscle damage is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of cold water immersion on the symptoms of exercise-induced muscle damage following strenuous eccentric exercise. After performing a bout of damage-inducing eccentric exercise (eight sets of five maximal reciprocal contractions at 0.58 rad .s-1) of the elbow flexors on an isokinetic dynamometer, 15 females aged 22.0 2.0 years (mean s) were allocated to a control group (no treatment, n=7) or a cryotherapy group (n=8). Subjects in the cryotherapy group immersed their exercised arm in cold water (15 C) for 15 min immediately after eccentric exercise and then every 12 h for 15 min for a total of seven sessions. Muscle tenderness, plasma creatine kinase activity, relaxed elbow angle, isometric strength and swelling (upper arm circumference) were measured immediately before and for 3 days after eccentric exercise. Analysis of variance revealed significant ( P < 0.05) main effects for time for all variables, with increases in muscle tenderness, creatine kinase activity and upper arm circumference, and decreases in isometric strength and relaxed elbow angle. There were significant interactions ( P < 0.05) of group time for relaxed elbow angle and creatine kinase activity. Relaxed elbow angle was greater and creatine kinase activity lower for the cryotherapy group than the controls on days 2 and 3 following the eccentric exercise. We conclude that although cold water immersion may reduce muscle stiffness and the amount of post-exercise damage after strenuous eccentric activity, there appears to be no effect on the perception of tenderness and strength loss, which is characteristic after this form of activity.

Posttraumatic elbow swelling and inflammation

Posttraumatic elbow swelling and inflammation

Fractured lateral epicondyle associated with lateral albow instability

A Jo-year-old housewife fell on her outstretched hand causing pain and swelling of the left elbow. Initial X-ray revealed no obvious fracture (Figure I). She was treated non-operatively. No manipulation was performed. Subsequently she noticed a varus deformity of the left elbow. It was 6 months later that she was seen by us. On examination, a varus deformity of the left elbow was noticed (FigmreZ). X-rays showed slight opening up of the radio-capitular space (Figure,?). On varus stress, there was marked lateral laxity with an avulsed fragment of the lateral epicondyle (Figure 4).

Intraosseous Glornus Tumor in the Ulna

Glomus tumors are benign vascular tumors composed of round to oval uniform cells associated with vascular structures, usually found in the soft tissue of the nail bend. A 24-year-old woman with a two-year history of progressive right elbow pain and swelling was found to have a histologically characteristic intraosseous glomus tumor in this unusual location. Excision was followed by complete relief of symptoms.

A Case of Malignant Lymphoma Resembling to Osteomyelitis

A 7-year-old boy with painfull swelling of the left elbow, right forearm and right acromio-clavicular joint. X-ray examinations showed irregular destruction and peiosteal thickening of the left humerus, right radius and ulna, and right clavicle.These findings were very similar to those of osteomyelitis.However, atypical eclls resembling to lymphocyte were seen 22% in peripheral blood and 85.2% in bone marrow.Malignant lymphoma (may be lymphosarcoma type) was diagnosed by the biopsy of the lesion.Chemotherapy was done and 27 months after onset he is now in complete clinical and hematologic remission of his disease.

Salmonella sp. (Type Montevideo) Osteomyelitis&lt;subtitle&gt;Report of a Case and Review of the Literature&lt;/subtitle&gt;

This case report is presented because of its rarity, the extensive osteomyelitic lesion, and the difficulty encountered in establishing the diagnosis early in the disease. REPORT OF CASE S. F., a 27-month-old Negro boy, was admitted to Jackson Memorial Hospital on Sept. 14, 1954, with the chief complaint of fever and swelling of the right elbow of three days' duration. The patient was first seen at Jackson Memorial Hospital seven days prior to admission, with a two-day history of fever and intermittent pain in all four extremities. Examination at this time revealed a well-developed, well-nourished, Negro boy, having a rectal temperature of 99 F and no significant physical findings. Laboratory studies showed a hemoglobin of 9.4 gm. per 100 cc. (capillary blood) and 12 nucleated RBC's per 100 RBC's, and the sickling preparation demonstrated 85% sickling. The diagnosis of sickle-cell crisis was made, and the patient was treated symptomatically. He

Osteochondritis dissecans of the supratrochlear septum.

Prior to the discovery of the roentgen ray, Pfitzner described an inconstant accessory bone, recognized on anatomical specimens, lying posterior to and near the supratrochlear fossa of the elbow. This accessory bone he labeled “sesamum cubiti.” The name has been applied until recent years to a process which is now recognized as osteochondritis dissecans of the supratrochlear septum. It has been referred to previously also as a “loose body” within the elbow joint, and in one case as being associated with osteochondromatosis. The findings in these cases are now regarded as due not to an accessory bone but to a true aseptic necrosis similar to that recognized frequently in other bone structures. In the case of the elbow, the changes are believed to be associated with an unusually thin supratrochlear septum. The supratrochlear (olecranon) fossa in this disease presents a characteristic roent-genographic picture, subject to certain variations in individual cases. The appearance is that of a radiolucent area, free of bone trabeculations and sharply outlined at its outer borders by a definite bony ring, which at times may appear serrated. Occupying the radiolucent area are one or more dense, sclerotic fragments of bone. Depending on the stage of the disease, these bone fragments may be incompletely or completely detached from the surrounding normal bone. They may be seen, with the aid of lateral and oblique projections, lying within the foramen in the fossa, or in other cases they may have separated from their original position to lie anywhere within the elbow joint. Most frequently, however, if the fragments have migrated, they lie posterior to the lower end of the humerus. The following case is added to the few previously reported. Case History G. L., a 40-year old fanner, presented himself with swelling and tenderness of the right elbow and a history of intermittent episodes of pain since the age of thirteen. No definite history of injury could be elicited, though the present attack was evidently initiated by the prolonged use of a hammer. Ordinarily the attacks had lasted only a few days and then gradually subsided, but in this instance the symptoms were more prolonged and severe. Physical examination revealed a general thickening of the structures of the posterior aspect of the right elbow. Full pronation and supination were present, but there was a 20 degree limitation of complete extension, and 10 degree limitation of flexion. Roentgenograms showed the typical changes of osteochondritis dissecans of the supratrochlear septum as described above. Mild osteoarthritic changes of the articular surfaces of the elbow joint were also present. Views of the left elbow for comparison showed a thin supratrochlear septum but no evidence of osteochondritis dissecans.

Swelling of Elbow, Later Proved to Be Chondroma

Swelling of Elbow, Later Proved to Be Chondroma

A Case of Multiple Tuberculous Arthritis Simulating Malignancy and Charcot Joint

ON July 24, 1928, Mr. G. N., a cigarmaker, aged 60, entered the surgical section of the out-patient department complaining of a painful swelling of the left elbow. There were also two lumps the size of walnuts on the right forearm near the wrist, and another below the left knee, but none of the se was as painful as th e left elbow. The patient stated that when he was a baby he was saved from falling downstairs by his father, who caught him by the left leg; in this manner his left hip was dislocated, making him lame th e remainder of his life. He was always healthy, however, following the trade of a carpenter until about nine years previous to the present examination, when his left elbow became stiff, causing him to give up carpentering and become a cigarmaker. In 1922, two small “tumors” were cut out of the elbow region but the swelling had gradually returned unti l now he was almost completely incapacitated. Examination showed the elbow joint to be greatly enlarged (Fig. 1), with the surrounding tissues firm except for an area about 2.5 cm. in diameter on th e posterior surface. There was no movement in the joint. Figure 2 shows the swelling on the right wrist. The swelling below the left knee proved to be a benign chondroma unrelated to the joint condition. A provisional diagnosis of inoperable osteogenic sarcoma was made and the patient was referred to the X-ray department. X-ray Findings.—The left elbow (Fig. 3) showed marked calcification of the arteries, extensive destruction of the lower end of the humerus and upper ends of the radius and ulna, and a large tumor-like mass in the soft tissues containing irregular deposits of calcium. The right wrist (Fig. 4) showed marked destruction of the carpal bones, but the remaining parts were sharply outlined and of normal density. There was no evidence of atrophy due to disuse, although the destruction involved the bases of the metacarpals and the lower ends of the radius and ulna; the whole picture was strongly suggestive of a Charcot joint. The left hip (Fig. 5) showed complete destruction of the head and neck, with the shaft displaced upwards 6 centimeters. There was an extensive and irregular calcareous deposit about the acetabulum, as well as an old calcified abscess lateral to the femoral shaft. The chest showed no evidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Laboratory Findings.—The urine was normal. Blood count showed hemoglobin 80 per cent; erythrocytes 4,500,000; leukocytes 10,100; differential—polymorphonuclears 67 per cent, small lymphocytes 31 per cent, eosinophiles 2 per cent. The Wassermann test was negative. August 6, 1928, about 8 c.c. of thick opaque yellow pus were aspirated from the soft nipple-like projection on the inner side of the left elbow. Microscopically this contained numerous polymorphonuclear and mononuclear leukocytes, and a great deal of unidentified cell débris, among which were some deeply staining round or oval bodies suggestive of yeast cells.