We reviewed 21 patients with Mason type-III fractures of the radial head treated by resection, evaluating the results at 16 to 30 years by a standard questionnaire and clinical and radiological examination of the elbow and wrist. Seventeen patients had an excellent result, three were good and one fair. Resection of the radial head is a satisfactory method of treatment of such fractures. Prosthetic replacement seems to be indicated only when there is valgus instability of the elbow

Six highly unstable elbows with severe bone loss due to rheumatoid arthritis were replaced by a non-constrained, unlinked prosthesis. Bone defects were filled with autogenous bone grafts. The mean follow-up was 4.5 years (2 to 8). The clinical results were excellent in four elbows and good in two, with good varus-valgus stability in all. Radiological follow-up showed no appreciable signs of loosening, and the bone grafts had retained most of their original size, with minimal resorption. There were no major complications such as dislocation, skin necrosis, infection or ulnar neuropathy. The study has shown that the so-called mutilans elbow can be successfully replaced using a properly selected type of non-constrained, unlinked prosthesis with bone grafting of the major defects