The objective of this study is to obtain and compare bilateral elbow joint synovial fluid from patients with unilateral intraarticular elbow fracture and a contralateral healthy appearing elbow joint. The synovial fluid samples will undergo several forms of analysis for metabolites and proteins. Matched-pair statistical analysis will be performed to determine the metabolites and proteins that may play the greatest role in development of joint contracture.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
12
Synovial fluid aspiration (act of using an 18 gauge needle to obtain synovial fluid from the elbow) in the emergency room for patients with the eligible elbow fracture (as defined in inclusion/exclusion criteria) is performed in conjunction with the anesthetic injection as part of standard of care. The elbow will be prepped as per usual for the anesthetic injection. An 18 gauge needle will be inserted through a lateral approach. The subject's elbow will be aspirated. The syringe with the aspirate would be removed from the needle while the needle would remain in the subject's elbow joint. The syringe with anesthetic would then be connected to the needle, and the anesthetic would be injected into the elbow joint. Therefore, no risks from a separate aspiration would be conferred to the patient.
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, North Carolina, United States
metabolite composition of synovial fluid
Time frame: time of fracture until surgical fixation (up to 5 weeks after injury)
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