The Use of the Trimano FORTIS® Support Arm (Arthrex) for Elbow Surgery
Shoayb Shafee1*, James Dalrymple2, Abbas Rashid3
1Clinical Fellow, Trauma & Orthopaedics, University College London Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
2Special Registrar, Trauma & Orthopaedics, University College London Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
3Consultant, Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon, University College London Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
*Corresponding Author: Shoayb Shafee, Clinical Fellow, Trauma & Orthopaedics, University College London Hospitals, NHS Foundation Trust, UK.
https://doi.org/10.58624/SVOAOR.2026.06.016
Received: May 13, 2026
Published: July 06, 2026
Citation: Shafee S, Dalrymple J, Rashid A. The Use of the Trimano FORTIS® Support Arm (Arthrex) for Elbow Surgery. SVOA Orthopaedics 2026, 6:4, 111 113. doi: 10.58624/SVOAOR.2026.06.016
Background
Open elbow surgery is commonly performed with the patient in the lateral decubitus or prone positions. They have patient limitations (pressure related nerve injury and contraindicated in patients with unstable spine or pelvic pathology), surgical limitations (C-arm access) and anaesthetic limitations (airway access and poor ventilation due to diaphragm splinting).1 The Lloyd-Davis support as a static arm positioner can facilitate supine positioning, which addresses the aforementioned issues.2 However, it requires a bolster under the ipsilateral shoulder, cannot be changed during surgery, making c-arm access difficult, its bulky sides inhibit medial and lateral elbow access, and it cannot be moved quickly for urgent airway access. The Trimano FORTIS® support arm (Arthrex) may offer advantages as a dynamic arm positioner by overcoming several limitations associated with the Lloyd-Davis support.