Early, wide excision of heterotopic ossification in the medial elbow

To prevent the occurrence of secondary contracture during maturation of heterotopic ossification of the elbow, early, wide excision of heterotopic ossification was performed on 9 consecutive patients with a stiff elbow caused by the mass. The average duration between initial injury and operation was 7.7 months. The thick, elastic mass on the posterior oblique ligament of the medial collateral ligament, which included mature and immature heterotopic ossification, was resected widely with the posterior oblique ligament, the posteromedial joint capsule, and the surrounding scar tissue. After an average follow-up of 52.0 months, the total arc of motion improved from a preoperative mean of 37.3° to a postoperative mean of 112.8°. No patient complained of instability or pain on movement. Despite recurrence of spotty heterotopic ossification at the medial elbow in 5 cases, at final follow-up, a sufficient range of motion was obtained in all patients. (J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2001;10:164-8.)