Description
- Elbow effusion stems from inflammation of the synovial lining of the joint.
- Elbow effusion or swelling can be demonstrated by elevation of the anterior fat pad and posterior fat pad. In elbow arthritis, displacement of the fat pads may indicate synovitis.1
Pathophysiology
- Elbow effusion may arise from elbow injury, septic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In rare cases, it may arise from synovial osteochondromatosis (SOC) or pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS).
- RA is the most prevalent inflammatory condition affecting the elbow.2
- Patients with hemophilia can develop a progressive synovitis that resembles RA.
Instructions
- Examine the patient’s upper extremity, including the cervical spine.
- Before examining the elbow, assess the shoulder, wrist and hand.3
- Examine the patient for swelling in the elbow joint.
- Check the contralateral elbow for comparison.
Variations
- Other symptoms to consider are crepitus and elbow locking. Redness and pain may be associated with septic joint.
Related Signs and Tests
- Range of motion
- Fluid analysis
- Radiography
- Ultrasound
- Neurovascular examination
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Diagnostic Performance Characteristics
- To improve reliability in the assessment of elbow effusions, ultrasound is especially effective. Ultrasound aids in the assessment of joint effusions, intra-articular loose bodies and synovitis.1
- When a synovial fluid analysis is inconclusive, MRI may aid in identifying joint effusion. In recent years, MRI has become more useful in analyzing elbow pathology.4