Surgery for Tennis Elbow

Tennis Elbow Anatomy: Lateral (Side) View, Opens dialog

Surgery Overview

Surgery for tennis elbow, Opens dialog may involve:

Cutting (releasing) the tendon, Opens dialog.
Removing inflamed tissue from the tendon.
Repairing (reattaching) tendon tears if it can be done without overtightening the tendon.

Surgery may be done using arthroscopy, Opens dialog, traditional open surgery, or a combination of the two techniques. It depends on the type of problem and the method the doctor prefers to use.

Surgery can be done with general or regional anesthetic, Opens dialog. It may require an overnight stay in the hospital.

Recovery varies from person to person. It usually takes at least 3 to 6 months to recover completely.

Cigarette smoking slows tendon and wound healing.
Recovery depends on the amount of time and effort you put into a rehabilitation program.
You may not be able to keep doing the activity that caused your tennis elbow. Or you may have to make some changes to the way you do that activity from now on.

You and your doctor may consider surgery if:

You still have elbow soreness and pain after more than 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatment.
You can't do your daily tasks and activities because of elbow pain.

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Tennis Elbow: Should I Have Surgery?

Various surgical procedures are used to treat tennis elbow. Some surgical research exists. But there are no published, controlled trials that either strongly support or discourage the use of any one procedure or prove that surgery is better than other treatment.^{footnote 1}

Most people are able to return to their previous activities after tennis elbow surgery. Be sure to change any previous technique, equipment, or activity that has been linked to the elbow pain.

The risks of surgery for tennis elbow include:

Slight loss of ability to straighten the arm.
Elbow pain that won't go away or that comes back.
Infection, blood loss, nerve damage (risks in all surgeries).
Anesthesia, Opens dialog side effects.

Citations
Buchbinder R, et al. (2011). Surgery for lateral elbow pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).

Current as of: July 31, 2024

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff

Clinical Review Board
All Ignite Healthwise, LLC education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

Surgery for Tennis Elbow

Surgery Overview

What To Expect

Why It Is Done

Learn more

How Well It Works

Risks

References

Citations

Credits

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