Lateral epicondylitis, otherwise known as tennis elbow, occurs when the origin of the muscles near the elbow become overworked. Usually, this happens through repetitive motions of the wrist and arm. The condition is painful and, unlike the name suggests, is not exclusive to athletes. Any job that features repetitive motions, such as plumbing or carpentry, may cause the condition. Tennis elbow patients often describe the pain as “radiating.” People with tennis elbow tend to have a hard time shaking hands, turning doorknobs, or grasping objects.

Tennis elbow may be treated conservatively, but sometimes surgical treatments are necessary for certain cases. Surgical procedures that your doctor may use to treat tennis elbow are as follows: Injections for tennis elbow, Ultrasonic Tenotomy.

Certain medical conditions may increase the risk of a fracture around the elbow. For example, osteoporosis increases the risk of fracture in many older adults. Not everyone with a fractured elbow needs surgery. If possible, your doctor will treat your elbow fracture with more conservative treatments, like pain medicine, splints, and slings.

However, in certain patients, surgery may be needed. Surgery typically involves exposing the fractured bone, reducing it into the correct position and fixing it with implants like plates and/or screws. This procedure is also known as Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF).

If you fracture the bones around your elbow, you might need ORIF to bring your bones back into place and help them heal. During an open reduction, orthopedic surgeons reposition your bone pieces during surgery, so they are back in their proper alignment. In a closed reduction, a doctor physically moves the bones back into place without surgically exposing the bone.

Internal fixation refers to the method of physically reconnecting the bones. This might involve special screws, plates, wires, or nails that the surgeon places inside the bones to fix them in the correct place. This prevents the bones from healing abnormally. The entire operation usually takes place while you are asleep under general anesthesia.

Elbow bursitis is a painful condition that involves inflammation of the bursae. Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons, and muscles near the body’s joints. When these sacs become inflamed, doctors call the condition bursitis. Not all cases of elbow bursitis require surgery. In fact, most of the time, these inflamed sacs will get better on their own.

There are more severe instances in which a doctor must surgically drain the inflamed sac. In the most severe cases, it may even be necessary to remove the affected bursa altogether. This, however, is exceptionally rare.

If conservative treatments have not alleviated the patient’s symptoms, your doctor will perform surgery.

RA is one of the most common types of elbow arthritis, but it is fundamentally different than most types of arthritis. Conventionally, arthritis affects the joints over time through age-related wear and tear, but RA is a little different. Medical experts classify RA as an autoimmune disorder because the condition confuses the immune system into attacking the body’s own tissues. Unlike wear and tear arthritis, RA is known to affect the joint linings, which causes painful swelling. Additionally, this may result in joint abnormalities and bone erosion.

If nonsurgical treatments (such as physical therapy/ physiotherapy) fail to alleviate your symptoms or slow RA progression, then your doctor may consider surgery. Surgery often helps RA patients, making their symptoms much more bearable. Additionally, RA surgery may even restore the patient’s ability to use their joints normally.

Rheumatoid Arthritis surgeries include: Synovectomy, Tendon Repair, Joint Fusion, Total Joint Replacement

OD occurs when the bone beneath the cartilage of a joint dies because of a lack of blood supply. When this happens, the bone and cartilage may break away, leading to pain and decreased motion and strength.

Most commonly, OD occurs in children and teenagers. The condition usually affects the knee, but it can also occur in the ankles and elbows, as well as in other areas. Symptoms of OD usually appear after a joint injury or several months of high-impact activities. There are different levels of OD and they all depend on the size of the injury. Additionally, medical experts must consider the nature of the fragment. This includes whether the fragment detaches partially, wholly, or remains in place.

For young children, OD may heal all by itself as the bones are still growing and maturing. Other cases, however, will require surgery. OD usually necessitates surgery when there is a loose fragment in the joint. Additionally, the doctor may consider surgery if your OD is still present, and your bones have stopped growing. In other cases, your doctor may consider surgery if conservative treatments have not worked for you over a period of 6-12 months.