Comparative Study of Arthroscopic and Open Surgery for Elbow Joint Stiffness: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: Elbow joint stiffness is a common complication that particularly develops following trauma. The formation of heterotopic ossification (HO), contracture, and soft tissue adhesion are some of the main reasons behind the development of this disability. The aim of this study is to compare the efficiency of arthroscopic and open surgical management in elbow stiffness. Aims and Objectives: To compare the outcome of open and Arthroscopic surgery in the management of stiffness of the elbow joint. Methods: A prospective cohort study included Ninety patients with elbow-stiffness received open or arthroscopic arthrolysis. 55.5% of the women in Group 1 (arthroscopic) had an average age of 45.67 years, while 33.3% of the women in Group 2 (open) had an average age of 38.90 years. Functional outcomes were examined using Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) scores, range of motion (ROM), and Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain ratings at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. Results: The demographic comparison between arthroscopic and open surgery groups shows no significant differences in age (p = 0.0698), gender (p = 0.0644 for women and p = 0.0866 for men), or previous surgery (p = 0.0958). However, the ROM was significantly better in the arthroscopic group (103.5° vs. 64.8°) with a highly significant p-value of 0.001. Pain and disability scores were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: The study concluded that while both arthroscopic and open surgery groups showed improvements, the only statistically significant difference between the groups was in ROM, where the arthroscopic group demonstrated superior outcomes.