How is surgery for tennis elbow performed?
There are many surgical procedures that have been suggested for the treatment of tennis elbow. The underlying similarities between them are removal of damaged tissue and stimulation of the healing response in the affected area.
An incision is made over the outside of the joint. The location of the tendon damage is identified, and this portion of the tendon is removed. The underlying bone is exposed, and blood flow to this region is stimulated. Some surgeons will repair the remaining tendon by using sutures anchored into the bone. The incision is then closed, and the patient's arm placed in a splint.
What is the post-operative management after tennis elbow surgery?
After surgery, a sterile bandage and splint is placed on the elbow. Patients will remain in a splint for about a week to allow the incision to heal. After that point, the splint is removed and the patient can begin gently moving the wrist and elbow.
How long is the rehabilitation after tennis elbow surgery?
Patients will begin light exercises within several weeks of surgery and can begin strengthening after about six weeks. Patients who want to return to athletic activities can begin to do so about 12 weeks after surgery.
What are the results of tennis elbow surgery?
Most patients will never need surgery for tennis elbow. Of the small percentage of patients who eventually need surgery, between 80 and 90 percent find improvement with surgical treatment.
Sources:
Jobe, FW; Ciccotti, MG. ""Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis of the Elbow" J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., Jan 1994; 2: 1 - 8.
Haake, M, et al. "Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis" J. Bone and Joint Surg. (Am) 2002 84:1982-1991.
Edwards SG, Calandruccio JH. "Autologous blood injections for refractory lateral epicondylitis" J Hand Surg [Am]. 2003 Mar;28(2):272-8.
The images in this article were generously provided by Medical Multimedia Group, Inc.
