BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuTennis elbow surgeryLateral epicondylitis - surgery; Lateral tendinosis - surgery; Lateral tennis elbow - surgeryTennis elbow is caused by doing the same repetitive and forceful arm movements many times. It creates small, painful tears in the tendons in your elbow. Tennis elbowTennis elbow is soreness or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow.Read Article Now Book Mark Article This injury can be caused by tennis, other racquet sports, and activities such as turning a wrench, prolonged typing, or chopping with a knife. The outside (lateral) elbow tendons are most commonly injured. The inside (medial) and backside (posterior) tendons can also be affected, but usually with different activities. The condition can be worsened if the tendons are further injured by trauma to the tendons.This article discusses surgery to repair tennis elbow.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Description Surgery to repair tennis elbow is often an outpatient surgery. This means you will not stay in the hospital overnight. You will be given medicine (sedative) to help you relax and make you sleepy. Numbing medicine (anesthesia) is given in your arm. This blocks pain during your surgery. You may be awake or asleep with general anesthesia during the surgery.General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you have open surgery, your surgeon will make one cut (incision) over your injured tendon. The unhealthy part of the tendon is scraped away. The surgeon may repair the tendon using something called a suture anchor. Or, it may be stitched to other tendons. When the surgery is over, the cut is closed with stitches. Sometimes, tennis elbow surgery is done using an arthroscope. This is a thin tube with a tiny camera and light on the end. Before surgery, you will get the same medicines as in open surgery to make you relax and to block pain.The surgeon makes 1 or 2 small cuts, and inserts the scope. The scope is attached to a video monitor. This helps your surgeon see inside the elbow area. The surgeon scrapes away the unhealthy part of the tendon to promote healing. Why the Procedure Is Performed You may need to have surgery if you:Have tried other treatments for at least 3 months Are having pain that limits your activity Treatments you should try first include:Limiting activity or sports to rest your arm. Changing the sports equipment you are using. This may involve changing the grip size of your racket or the weights that you use. Changing the types of tools that you are using that cause discomfort. Changing your sports practice schedule or duration. Taking medicines, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Doing exercises to relieve pain as recommended by your health care provider or physical therapist. Making workplace changes to improve your sitting position and how you use equipment at work. Wearing elbow splints or braces to rest your muscles and tendons. Getting shots of steroid medicine, such as cortisone. This is done by your provider. Risks Risks of anesthesia and surgery in general are:Reactions to medicines or breathing problems Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding, blood clots, or infectionBleedingBleeding is the loss of blood. Bleeding may be:Inside the body (internal)Outside the body (external)Bleeding may occur:Inside the body when blood le...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blood clotsBlood clots are clumps that occur when blood hardens from a liquid to a solid. A blood clot that forms inside one of your veins or arteries is calle...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Risks of tennis elbow surgery are:Loss of strength in your forearm Decreased range of motion in your elbow Need for long-term physical therapy Injury to nerves or blood vessels Scar that is sore when you touch it Need for more surgery Before the Procedure Before the procedure, tell your surgeon or nurse if:You are or could be pregnant You are taking any medicines, including illicit drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription You have been drinking a lot of alcohol, more than 1 or 2 drinks a dayPlanning for your surgery:If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see the provider who treats you for these conditions. DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you smoke, it's important to cut back or quit. Smoking can slow healing and increase the risk for blood clots. Ask your provider for help quitting smoking. Smoking can slow healing and increase t...Quitting smoking and other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, before surgery can improve your recovery and outcome after surgery. Most people...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Quitting smokingThere are many ways to quit smoking. There are also resources to help you. Family members, friends, and co-workers may be supportive. But to be su...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If needed, prepare your home to make it easier to recover after surgery. Prepare your homeNecrotizing vasculitis is a group of disorders that involve inflammation of the blood vessel walls. The size of the affected blood vessels helps to ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ask your surgeon if you need to arrange to have someone drive you home after your surgery.During the week before your surgery:You may be asked to temporarily stop taking medicines that keep your blood from clotting. These medicines are called blood thinners. This includes over-the-counter medicines and supplements such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and vitamin E. Many prescription medicines are also blood thinners. Ask your surgeon which medicines you should still take on the day of surgery. Let your surgeon know about any illness you may have before your surgery. This includes COVID-19, a cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness. If you do get sick, your surgery may need to be postponed.COVID-19Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but many other symptoms can occur....Read Article Now Book Mark Article ColdThe common cold most often causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms....Read Article Now Book Mark Article FluThe flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article On the day of surgery:Follow instructions about when to stop eating and drinking. Take the medicines your surgeon told you to take with a small sip of water. Follow instructions on when to arrive at the hospital. Be sure to arrive on time. After the Procedure After the surgery:Your elbow and arm will likely have a thick bandage or a splint. You can go home when the effects of the sedative or general anesthesia wear off. Follow instructions on how to care for your wound and arm at home. This includes taking medicine to ease pain from the surgery. Care for your wound and arm at homeYou have had surgery for tennis elbow. The surgeon made a cut (incision) over the injured tendon, then removed the unhealthy part of your tendon and...Read Article Now Book Mark Article You should begin moving your arm gently, as recommended by your surgeon. Outlook (Prognosis) Tennis elbow surgery relieves pain for most people. Many people are able to return to sports and other activities that use the elbow within 4 to 6 months. Keeping up with recommended exercise helps ensure the problem will not return.Open ReferencesReferencesAdams JE, Steinmann SP. Elbow tendinopathies and tendon ruptures. In: Wolfe SW, Pederson WC, Kozin SH, Cohen MS, eds. Green's Operative Hand Surgery. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.Wolf JM. Elbow tendinopathies and bursitis. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 61.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/7/2024 Reviewed By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. 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Tennis elbow surgeryLateral epicondylitis - surgery; Lateral tendinosis - surgery; Lateral tennis elbow - surgeryTennis elbow is caused by doing the same repetitive and forceful arm movements many times. It creates small, painful tears in the tendons in your elbow. Tennis elbowTennis elbow is soreness or pain on the outside (lateral) side of the upper arm near the elbow.Read Article Now Book Mark Article This injury can be caused by tennis, other racquet sports, and activities such as turning a wrench, prolonged typing, or chopping with a knife. The outside (lateral) elbow tendons are most commonly injured. The inside (medial) and backside (posterior) tendons can also be affected, but usually with different activities. The condition can be worsened if the tendons are further injured by trauma to the tendons.This article discusses surgery to repair tennis elbow.Related video goes here for no-HTML5 browsers Description Surgery to repair tennis elbow is often an outpatient surgery. This means you will not stay in the hospital overnight. You will be given medicine (sedative) to help you relax and make you sleepy. Numbing medicine (anesthesia) is given in your arm. This blocks pain during your surgery. You may be awake or asleep with general anesthesia during the surgery.General anesthesiaGeneral anesthesia is treatment with certain medicines that puts you into a deep sleep-like state so you do not feel pain during surgery. After you ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you have open surgery, your surgeon will make one cut (incision) over your injured tendon. The unhealthy part of the tendon is scraped away. The surgeon may repair the tendon using something called a suture anchor. Or, it may be stitched to other tendons. When the surgery is over, the cut is closed with stitches. Sometimes, tennis elbow surgery is done using an arthroscope. This is a thin tube with a tiny camera and light on the end. Before surgery, you will get the same medicines as in open surgery to make you relax and to block pain.The surgeon makes 1 or 2 small cuts, and inserts the scope. The scope is attached to a video monitor. This helps your surgeon see inside the elbow area. The surgeon scrapes away the unhealthy part of the tendon to promote healing. Why the Procedure Is Performed You may need to have surgery if you:Have tried other treatments for at least 3 months Are having pain that limits your activity Treatments you should try first include:Limiting activity or sports to rest your arm. Changing the sports equipment you are using. This may involve changing the grip size of your racket or the weights that you use. Changing the types of tools that you are using that cause discomfort. Changing your sports practice schedule or duration. Taking medicines, such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen. Doing exercises to relieve pain as recommended by your health care provider or physical therapist. Making workplace changes to improve your sitting position and how you use equipment at work. Wearing elbow splints or braces to rest your muscles and tendons. Getting shots of steroid medicine, such as cortisone. This is done by your provider. Risks Risks of anesthesia and surgery in general are:Reactions to medicines or breathing problems Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bleeding, blood clots, or infectionBleedingBleeding is the loss of blood. Bleeding may be:Inside the body (internal)Outside the body (external)Bleeding may occur:Inside the body when blood le...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Blood clotsBlood clots are clumps that occur when blood hardens from a liquid to a solid. A blood clot that forms inside one of your veins or arteries is calle...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Risks of tennis elbow surgery are:Loss of strength in your forearm Decreased range of motion in your elbow Need for long-term physical therapy Injury to nerves or blood vessels Scar that is sore when you touch it Need for more surgery Before the Procedure Before the procedure, tell your surgeon or nurse if:You are or could be pregnant You are taking any medicines, including illicit drugs, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription You have been drinking a lot of alcohol, more than 1 or 2 drinks a dayPlanning for your surgery:If you have diabetes, heart disease, or other medical conditions, your surgeon may ask you to see the provider who treats you for these conditions. DiabetesDiabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Heart diseaseCoronary heart disease is a narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is also called co...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If you smoke, it's important to cut back or quit. Smoking can slow healing and increase the risk for blood clots. Ask your provider for help quitting smoking. Smoking can slow healing and increase t...Quitting smoking and other nicotine products, including e-cigarettes, before surgery can improve your recovery and outcome after surgery. Most people...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Quitting smokingThere are many ways to quit smoking. There are also resources to help you. Family members, friends, and co-workers may be supportive. But to be su...Read Article Now Book Mark Article If needed, prepare your home to make it easier to recover after surgery. Prepare your homeNecrotizing vasculitis is a group of disorders that involve inflammation of the blood vessel walls. The size of the affected blood vessels helps to ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Ask your surgeon if you need to arrange to have someone drive you home after your surgery.During the week before your surgery:You may be asked to temporarily stop taking medicines that keep your blood from clotting. These medicines are called blood thinners. This includes over-the-counter medicines and supplements such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and vitamin E. Many prescription medicines are also blood thinners. Ask your surgeon which medicines you should still take on the day of surgery. Let your surgeon know about any illness you may have before your surgery. This includes COVID-19, a cold, flu, fever, herpes breakout, or other illness. If you do get sick, your surgery may need to be postponed.COVID-19Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness that causes fever, coughing, and shortness of breath, but many other symptoms can occur....Read Article Now Book Mark Article ColdThe common cold most often causes a runny nose, nasal congestion, and sneezing. You may also have a sore throat, cough, headache, or other symptoms....Read Article Now Book Mark Article FluThe flu (influenza) is a viral respiratory illness that causes fever, chills, runny nose, body aches, and cough. It spreads easily from person to pe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article On the day of surgery:Follow instructions about when to stop eating and drinking. Take the medicines your surgeon told you to take with a small sip of water. Follow instructions on when to arrive at the hospital. Be sure to arrive on time. After the Procedure After the surgery:Your elbow and arm will likely have a thick bandage or a splint. You can go home when the effects of the sedative or general anesthesia wear off. Follow instructions on how to care for your wound and arm at home. This includes taking medicine to ease pain from the surgery. Care for your wound and arm at homeYou have had surgery for tennis elbow. The surgeon made a cut (incision) over the injured tendon, then removed the unhealthy part of your tendon and...Read Article Now Book Mark Article You should begin moving your arm gently, as recommended by your surgeon. Outlook (Prognosis) Tennis elbow surgery relieves pain for most people. Many people are able to return to sports and other activities that use the elbow within 4 to 6 months. Keeping up with recommended exercise helps ensure the problem will not return.Open ReferencesReferencesAdams JE, Steinmann SP. Elbow tendinopathies and tendon ruptures. In: Wolfe SW, Pederson WC, Kozin SH, Cohen MS, eds. Green's Operative Hand Surgery. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 25.Wolf JM. Elbow tendinopathies and bursitis. In: Miller MD, Thompson SR, eds. DeLee, Drez, & Miller's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 61.