OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of a comprehensive rehabilitation nursing program on patients undergoing elbow arthrolysis. METHODS: Patients who received unilateral elbow arthrolysis in the Department of Orthopedics in Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital East Affiliated to Shanghai University of Medicine and Health Sciences from December 2016 to February 2017 were selected for the study and were randomized into two groups: experimental group and the control group. Patients in both groups received routine nursing care, while patients in the experimental group also received comprehensive rehabilitation nursing, which was a program after elbow arthrolysis including postoperative pain management, standardized management of postoperative drainage, application of cryotherapy, prevention of heterotopic ossification, and personalized functional training. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to assess patients' pain levels, and the elbow joint range of motion (ROM) was measured for evaluating the amount of movement around the joint. In addition, the Mayo elbow performance index (MEPI) was employed to assess patients' elbow joint function. A satisfaction survey was also conducted. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included in the study and were assigned to either the experimental group or the control group (30 cases in each group). As compared with the control group, patients in the experimental group achieved better results in elbow joint ROM with greater improvement. Flexion, extension, pronation, supination and rotation angles in the experimental group were 131 +/- 8 degrees, 7 +/- 8 degrees, 69 +/- 17 degrees, 82 +/- 18 degrees and 151 +/- 33 degrees respectively, which were all better than those in the control group (120 +/- 14 degrees, 16 +/- 16 degrees, 48 +/- 32 degrees, 63 +/- 31 degrees and 111 +/- 58 degrees, p = 0.001, 0.009, 0.002, 0.006 and 0.002). The experimental group also had higher MEPI score (experimental group 95 +/- 7, control group 86 +/- 9, p = 0.000), higher percentage of excellent result evaluated by MEPI (experimental group 70%, control group 43.3%, p = 0.034), and lower VAS score between 2nd and 5th day after operation (p < 0.001, 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001) as compared with those in control group. Additionally, the patient satisfaction in the experimental group was also greater (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: A comprehensive rehabilitation nursing program can help relieve pain, improve elbow joint ROM and promote recovery of the elbow joint function in patients who undergo elbow arthrolysis.

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