What is tennis elbow?

Tennis elbow is caused by repeating painful and forceful movements of the elbow multiple times. It results in small, painful tears in the tendons of your elbow.

This is an injury caused by tennis and other racquet sports. It can also happen when turning a wrench, typing for long periods, or chopping with a knife. This condition is typically associated with the outside or lateral tendons on the elbow's outside. The inside, medial, backside, or posterior tendons may also be involved but typically with a different activity. The pain is worse if the tendons are further injured by trauma to the tendons.

Why is tennis elbow surgery performed?

Surgery could be necessary if you:

• Have tried other therapies for a minimum of three months
• Are you having pain that limits your activity

Treatments you should try first include:

• There is an armrest due to the limitation of sports or activities.
• There is a change in the sports equipment you are using. This may include getting a different grip size on your racket, different weights you use, or anything else you believe may be the cause.
• This will result in changing your sports practice timing or its duration.
• You can also administer over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen.
• Different exercises are taken during therapy to alleviate pain as the doctor or a physical therapist advises.
• Changing job tasks to reduce strain on the joint as you sit and using your work equipment
• Using elbow splints or braces to let muscles and tendons rest.
• Getting injections of steroid medication, for example, cortisone. This is done by your healthcare provider.

How should I prepare for a tennis elbow surgery?

Tennis elbow surgery is an outpatient surgery. This means you will not stay overnight in the hospital.

You will receive medicines (sedatives) that will help you feel relaxed and tired. Numbing medicine (anesthesia) is injected into your arm. These medicines numb you so that you do not feel the pain during the surgery.

You may be awake or asleep, depending on your choice of general anesthesia.

Your surgeon will make an incision over your wounded tendon. Underneath the incision, the surgeon takes out the diseased portion of the tendon through a process called scratching. The tendon may be repaired using a suture anchor or stitched to other tendons. The cut is often closed with stitches over the wound when the surgery is done.

Sometimes, surgery can be performed with the assistance of an arthroscope, a thin tube containing a tiny camera and light attached to the end. You will have the same medications before your surgery as you would for open surgery to relax you and block pain.

The surgeon makes one or two small cuts and inserts the scope, which is attached to a video monitor. This enables the surgeon to see inside the elbow. The surgeon cuts out the diseased part of the tendon.

What are the risks of Tennis elbow surgery?

General anesthetic and surgical risks include:

• Reaction to medicines or breathing problems.
• Bleeding, blood clots, or infection.

Risks of tennis elbow surgery include:

• Weakness in your forearm
• Decreased elbow motion
• Requires extended physical therapy
• Nerve or blood vessel damage
• Scar that hurts to the touch
• Needs more surgery

What happens before the tennis elbow surgery?

You should:

Inform the surgeon of all medications you take, prescription and over-the-counter. This includes herbal medicine, supplements, and vitamins.

Follow instructions about briefly holding anticoagulant (blood-thinning) drugs. These may include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve). If you are on warfarin (Coumadin), dabigatran (Pradaxa), apixaban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), or clopidogrel (Plavix), discuss any plans to discontinue or change the use of these medications with your surgeon.

• Ask your surgeon which medications to continue taking on the day of your operation.
• Quit smoking if you smoke. Smoking may delay healing. Talk to your healthcare provider about how to quit smoking.
• Before surgery, let your surgeon know if you have a cold, flu, fever, or other illness.
• Don't eat anything before the operation. Don't even drink anything.
• Be in the surgery center when indicated by your surgeon or nurse. Make sure you are there on time.

What happens immediately after the tennis elbow surgery?

After the operation:

Your elbow and arm will likely be heavily bandaged or have a splint.

You can go home when the effects of the sedative have worn off.

Follow instructions for home care concerning your wound and arm. This includes taking medicine to help ease pain from the procedure.

You should begin to mobilize your arm slowly, as guided by your surgeon.

What is the prognosis (outlook) for patients who have tennis elbow surgery?

Tennis elbow surgery is effective for relieving pain for most. Most can return to sports and other activities that use the elbow within 4 to 6 months. Consistent exercise, as recommended, usually helps prevent this problem from recurring.

Why Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Tennis Elbow surgery?

Tender Palm Hospital, owned by doctors, is renowned for attracting the most skilled professionals in the country. With the finest Orthopedic surgeons, specialized in tennis elbow surgery. Tender Palm stands out as the premier orthopedic hospital in Lucknow, India. Boasting cutting-edge infrastructure and advanced technology, Tender Palm ensures top-notch medical care for its patients.

To seek an expert consultation for any orthopedic condition.

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

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