Elbow Surgical Procedures

There are several main surgical procedures for the Elbow joint we provide depending on the diagnosis and treatment plan selected by your Great Lakes Orthopedics & Sports Medicine specialist.

Elbow Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a procedure that orthopedic surgeons use to inspect, diagnose, and repair problems inside a joint.

The loose bodies and other elbow joint conditions can be treated by using a minimally invasive arthroscope in addition to small grasping instruments. in the elbow joint.

Elbow arthroscopy has been performed since the 1980s. It has made diagnosis, treatment, and recovery from surgery easier and faster than was once thought possible. Improvements to elbow arthroscopy occur every year as new instruments and techniques are developed.

These elbow arthroscopic procedures take about 60 to 90 minutes and are done on an outpatient basis.

Elbow Arthroplasty

Although elbow joint replacement is much less common than knee or hip replacement, it is just as successful in relieving joint pain and returning people to activities they enjoy.

In total elbow replacement surgery, the damaged parts of the humerus and ulna are replaced with artificial components. The artificial elbow joint is made up of a metal and plastic hinge with two metal stems. The stems fit inside the hollow part of the bone called the canal.

Elbow Bursitis/Impingement Surgery

If the Elbow bursa is infected and it does not improve with antibiotics or by removing fluid from the elbow, surgery to remove the entire bursa may be needed. This is often an inpatient procedure, meaning you will need to stay overnight in the hospital. This surgery may be combined with further use of oral or intravenous antibiotics.

The bursa usually grows back as a non-inflamed, normally functioning bursa over a period of several months.

Surgery for noninfected bursa. If elbow bursitis is not a result of infection, surgery may still be needed if nonsurgical treatments do not work. In this case, surgery to remove the bursa is usually performed as an outpatient procedure.

The surgery does not disturb any muscle, ligament, or joint structures.

Tennis Elbow – Epiconodylitis Surgery

Surgical Treatment

Most surgical procedures for tennis elbow involve removing diseased muscle and reattaching healthy muscle back to bone.

The right surgical approach for you will depend on a range of factors. These include the scope of your injury, your general health, and your personal needs.

Open Surgery. The most common approach to tennis elbow repair is open surgery. This involves making an incision over the elbow.

Open surgery is usually performed as an outpatient surgery. It rarely requires an overnight stay at the hospital.

Arthroscopic Surgery. Tennis elbow can also be repaired using tiny instruments and small incisions. Like open surgery, this is a same-day or outpatient procedure.

Tommy John Surgery

Surgical Treatment

Arthroscopy. Bone spurs on the olecranon and any loose fragments of bone or cartilage within the elbow joint can be removed arthroscopically.

During arthroscopy, the surgeon inserts a small camera, called an arthroscope, into the elbow joint. The camera displays pictures on a television screen, and the surgeon uses these images to guide miniature surgical instruments.

Because the arthroscope and surgical instruments are thin, the surgeon can use very small incisions (cuts), rather than the larger incision needed for standard, open surgery.

UCL reconstruction. Athletes who have an unstable or torn UCL, and who do not respond to nonsurgical treatment, are candidates for surgical ligament reconstruction.

Most ligament tears cannot be sutured (stitched) back together. To surgically repair the UCL and restore elbow strength and stability, the ligament must be reconstructed.

During the procedure, the doctor replaces the torn ligament with a tissue graft.

This graft acts as a scaffolding for a new ligament to grow on. In most cases of UCL injury, the ligament can be reconstructed using one of the patient’s own tendons.

This surgical procedure is referred to as “Tommy John surgery” by the general public, named after the former major league pitcher who had the first successful surgery in 1974.

Today, UCL reconstruction has become a common procedure, helping professional and college athletes continue to compete in a range of sports.