Thirty patients had excisional arthroplasty of the elbow, with
interpositional Gelfoam and early mobilization. Most of the patients had
residual disability from trauma. Most of the patients' results were
evaluated four years or more after the operation: 80 per cent were
pain-free and 90 per cent were able to return to their previous
occupations. One patient had to be reoperated on and therefore was
considered to have a poor result.