Arthroscopy of the Elbow Treatment

What is Elbow Arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is a surgical process that lets a surgeon look inside a joint by using small incision with the help of instruments that has the width of a pencil. Most of the people are aware of knee and shoulder arthroscopy, but the elbow joint has many problems that can be treated with this procedure as well. The elbow is the joint that joins the upper arm bone and the forearm bones. Since the incisions used with elbow arthroscopy are quite smaller and disrupt less soft tissue than conventional open surgery swelling, stiffness, and pain, is minimized, and recovery is generally faster.

Reasons for Performing Arthroscopic Elbow Surgery

Not all causes of elbow pain can be successfully treated with an arthroscopic procedure. Some of the reasons to do an arthroscopic elbow surgery, or elbow arthroscopy, include the following:

• Removing Loose Debris: The elbow joint can collect loose debris or cartilage because of arthritis or injury. These loose bodies within the joint can result in pain and limited motion. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive way for removing this problem debris.
• Removing Bone Spurs: In the early stages of elbow arthritis, bone spurs may form around the joint, and restricts the normal motion of the joint. An arthroscopic process may be suitable for the removal of the bone spurs for restoring more normal motion of the elbow joint. A specific elbow problem called "thrower's elbow" occurs mainly in throwing athletes such as baseball pitchers. Because of the huge forces on the elbow, a bone spur can be formed on the back of their joint. If nonsurgical treatments fail to relieve symptoms, arthroscopic surgery is required for the removal of this spur.
• Loosening the Joint Capsule: The elbow joint is quite famous for stiffening as a result of injury, other trauma to the joint, or surgery; this condition is known as elbow arthrofibrosis. In some of the patients, the elbow joint capsule may become so tight that the motion is restricted. Surgically loosening the joint capsule may be possible in these patients. The advantage of an arthroscopic approach is that less scar tissue is likely to form after the surgery is being performed, thus making the chance of regaining motion more likely.
• Assessing Cartilage Damage: Specific cartilage problems, most commonly osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), can result in the problems in the elbow joint. X-rays and MRIs may not accurately show the extent of the damage, and an arthroscopic surgery can be required for assessing the extent of cartilage damage for determining if further treatment is required.
• Tennis Elbow: Tennis elbow results when there is microscopic tearing of the tendons on the outside of the patient’s elbow joint. While most of the patients improve with the help of non-surgical treatments for tennis elbow, sometimes surgery is the only option. Traditional surgery removes the tendon from the bone, and thus the damaged tendon is being removed, this is followed by a repair or reattachment of the tendon. Arthroscopic surgery has become one of the treatment options for tennis elbow. Arthroscopic procedures allow the surgeon to view at the elbow joint for ensuring there are no other sources for the pain, and thus allows for the removal of damaged tendon without any detachment of the tendon from the bone. While arthroscopic surgery for tennis elbow is relatively new, early results have been encouraging with the high rates of success.

Free Consultation on WhatsApp

What are the Advantages of Arthroscopy of the elbow?

Elbow arthroscopy allows the surgeon for diagnosing the patient’s elbow problem and, in some cases treats it at the same time neglecting the need for another surgery. Patients view great improvements in their symptoms and in their elbow function. Arthroscopy of the elbow only needs a couple of small cuts and is benefited from swelling and stiffness, less pain, fewer complications and, a faster recovery as compared to that of the conventional surgery.

Performing Arthroscopic Elbow Surgery

Elbow arthroscopy can be done under regional anesthesia or general anesthesia. After adequate anesthesia, the surgeon will create portals for gaining access to the patient’s elbow joint. The portals are placed in specific locations for minimizing the potential for injury to the surrounding nerves, tendons, and blood vessels. Through one portal, a camera is inserted into the joint, and through others, with the help of small instruments, other problem can be addressed. The length of the elbow arthroscopy procedure changes depending on what the doctor needs to achieve. After the surgery is being performed, the patient’s elbow will get put in a splint or soft bandage. Most patients will work with a physical therapist for regaining the motion and strength of their joint. The length of rehabilitation will also change depending on what is being done at the time of surgery.   

How soon will I recover?

After the patient’s arthroscopy, the patients may be placed into an elbow splint that still allows them to use their hand. The amount of time in the splint will alter depending on what was done at the time of surgery. Elevating the arm holds vital importance for preventing excessive swelling and pain after the patient’s surgery. Certain conditions require that the patients begin their therapy right away, and others may not even require it at all. This surgical procedure usually allows the patient to go home the same day, but occasionally, depending on the condition, a hospital stay may be required.

What are the risks involved?

Like with any other surgery, this surgical procedure also has risks and complications. These complications include infection and potential damage to arteries and nerves. Stiffness may be required to be addressed through rehabilitation. Elbow arthroscopy is generally not appropriate for all elbow problems and it is dependent on the surgeon’s training, their expertise and comfort level of the patient.

Free Consultation on WhatsApp