PURPOSE The effect of open release of a post-traumatic elbow contracture on the stability of the joint has not been so far studied in vivo. Resection of elbow joint capsule, the key element of surgery, was reported to have no effect on the stability of cadaveric elbows. The joint capsule is yet known to participate in maintaining elbow stability as one of secondary stabilizers. METHODS We assessed elbow joint laxity in 39 patients who underwent an open contracture release via the 'column procedure' described by B. Morrey and P. Mansat within the preceeding three to nine months. The measurements were taken with an apparatus designed particularly for this experiment according to the predetermined protocol. A preliminary part of the experiment showed that there was no significant difference between laxity of two elbow joints in healthy volunteers. Laxity of the operated elbows could be then compared with the contralateral joints. RESULTS Mean absolute difference of laxity between healthy and operated elbows was 1.55° (0.1°-4.1°, SD = 1.1) being significantly lower than 2°, p = 0.0056. The difference of the joint laxity between the operated and healthy elbows did not differ statistically significantly by more than 0.6° from the difference of the laxity of two healthy elbows and, therefore, is not clinically noticeable. CONCLUSIONS Our experiment confirmed that the 'column procedure' is a safe procedure which does not compromise the stability of the elbow joint.

中文翻译：

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色谱柱程序可在生物力学测试中保持肘部稳定性。

目的迄今为止，尚未在体内研究创伤后肘关节挛缩的开放释放对关节稳定性的影响。据报道，手术的关键要素是肘关节囊切除术对尸体肘部的稳定性没有影响。还已知关节囊作为辅助稳定剂之一参与维持肘关节的稳定性。方法我们评估了39例患者的肘关节松弛情况，这些患者在前3到9个月内通过B. Morrey和P. Mansat所述的“柱法”进行了开放性挛缩释放。根据预定方案，使用专门为此实验设计的设备进行测量。实验的初步部分显示，健康志愿者的两个肘关节松弛之间没有显着差异。然后可以将手术肘的松弛与对侧关节进行比较。结果健康和手术肘之间的平均松弛绝对差为1.55°（0.1°-4.1°，SD = 1.1），远低于2°，p = 0.0056。与两个健康肘部的松弛度差异相比，手术肘与健康肘部的松弛度差异在统计学上差异不超过0.6°，因此在临床上并不明显。结论我们的实验证实，“柱式手术”是一种安全的手术，不会损害肘关节的稳定性。然后可以将手术肘的松弛与对侧关节进行比较。结果健康和手术肘之间的平均松弛绝对差为1.55°（0.1°-4.1°，SD = 1.1），远低于2°，p = 0.0056。与两个健康肘部的松弛度差异相比，手术肘与健康肘部的松弛度差异在统计学上差异不超过0.6°，因此在临床上并不明显。结论我们的实验证实，“柱式手术”是一种安全的手术，不会损害肘关节的稳定性。然后可以将手术肘的松弛与对侧关节进行比较。结果健康和手术肘之间的平均松弛绝对差为1.55°（0.1°-4.1°，SD = 1.1），远低于2°，p = 0.0056。与两个健康肘部的松弛度差异相比，手术肘与健康肘部的松弛度差异在统计学上差异不超过0.6°，因此在临床上并不明显。结论我们的实验证实，“柱式手术”是一种安全的手术，不会损害肘关节的稳定性。与两个健康肘部的松弛度差异相比，手术肘与健康肘部的松弛度差异在统计学上差异不超过0.6°，因此在临床上并不明显。结论我们的实验证实，“柱式手术”是一种安全的手术，不会损害肘关节的稳定性。与两个健康肘部的松弛度差异相比，手术肘与健康肘部的松弛度差异在统计学上差异不超过0.6°，因此在临床上并不明显。结论我们的实验证实，“柱式手术”是一种安全的手术，不会损害肘关节的稳定性。