Arthroscopic Tennis Elbow Release
Elbow pain related to lateral epicondylitis or tennis elbow is a common condition affecting millions of Americans. Although tennis elbow occurs in athletes playing racket sports and other sports, it is also very common among active individuals not involved in sports. Tennis elbow typically presents as pain localized to the lateral (outside) aspect of the elbow associated with use of the hand and upper extremity. The condition usually occurs as a result of repetitive overuse or poor technique in sports. Tennis elbow results from degeneration of the wrist extensor muscle group origin at the elbow.
The cornerstone of treatment of tennis elbow centers on stretching and strengthening of the wrist extensor group. Physical therapy including use of ultrasound and electrical stimulation can be beneficial. Braces or straps designed to decrease stress on the degenerative tendon can also be helpful. Steroid injections in the elbow can be used sparingly for refractory cases of tennis elbow.
Many patients have recurrent symptoms that fluctuate in severity depending on activity levels. Anywhere from 5-10% of people do not respond to conservative interventions and end up having surgery. Outpatient surgery consisting of release and/or removal of degenerative tendon tissue is considered when nonsurgical treatment fails to provide relief of symptoms.
Open releases have been done for many years, but since 2000, arthroscopic techniques have allowed for the inspection of the inside of the elbow joint to see the extent of tendon and capsular damage that occurs. This also allows for excellent visualization of the diseased tissue that needs to be removed with the arthroscopic shavers.
Studies show that regardless of what technique your surgeon prefers, both Arthroscopic and Open methods impart significant improvement from preoperative to 12 months postoperatively.
An evaluation by your orthopedic surgeon is necessary to diagnose and treat this common elbow disorder.