Surgery Overview

Surgery for tennis elbow may involve:

• Cutting (releasing) the tendon.
• Removing inflamed tissue from the tendon.
• Repairing (reattaching) tendon tears if it can be done without overtightening the tendon.

Surgery may be done using arthroscopy, traditional open surgery, or a combination of the two techniques. It depends on the type of problem and the method the doctor prefers to use.

Surgery can be done with general or regional anesthetic. It may require an overnight stay in the hospital.

What To Expect

Recovery varies from person to person. It usually takes at least 3 to 6 months to recover completely.

• Cigarette smoking slows tendon and wound healing.
• Recovery depends on the amount of time and effort you put into a rehabilitation program.
• You may not be able to keep doing the activity that caused your tennis elbow. Or you may have to make some changes to the way you do that activity from now on.

Why It Is Done

You and your doctor may consider surgery if:

• You still have elbow soreness and pain after more than 6 to 12 months of nonsurgical treatment.
• You can't do your daily tasks and activities because of elbow pain.

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How Well It Works

Various surgical procedures are used to treat tennis elbow. Some surgical research exists. But there are no published, controlled trials that either strongly support or discourage the use of any one procedure or prove that surgery is better than other treatment.^{footnote 1}

Most people are able to return to their previous activities after tennis elbow surgery. Be sure to change any previous technique, equipment, or activity that has been linked to the elbow pain.

Risks

The risks of surgery for tennis elbow include:

• Slight loss of ability to straighten the arm.
• Elbow pain that won't go away or that comes back.
• Infection, blood loss, nerve damage (risks in all surgeries).
• Anesthesia side effects.