Arthroscopy of the Elbow
This page will give you information about an arthroscopy of
the elbow. If you have any questions, you should ask your GP or
other relevant health professional.
What is an arthroscopy of the elbow?
An arthroscopy (also called ‘keyhole’ surgery) allows your
surgeon to see inside your elbow using a camera inserted through
small cuts in the skin. They should be able to treat some problems
using special surgical instruments.
What are the benefits of surgery?
The main benefit of surgery is to confirm exactly what the
problem is and in many cases to treat the problem at the same
time.
Are there any alternatives to surgery?
Problems inside a joint can often be diagnosed using special
tests such as CT and MRI scans. However, you may then need an
arthroscopy to treat the problem.
What does the operation involve?
The operation is usually performed under a general anaesthetic.
The operation usually takes about half an hour.
Your surgeon will usually make about two to four small cuts
around the joint. They will place a small telescope through one of
the cuts so they can examine the joint. They will place surgical
instruments through the other cuts if they need to treat any
problems with the joint (see figure 1).
Figure 1: Arthroscopy of the elbow
What complications can happen?
1 General complications of any operation
- Pain
- Bleeding
- Infection in the surgical wound
- Unsightly scarring
2 Specific complications of this operation
- Bleeding into the joint
- Infection in the joint
- Severe pain, stiffness and loss of use of the arm and hand
(Complex Regional Pain Syndrome)
- Damage to nerves
- Damage to the radial nerve
How soon will I recover?
You should be able to go home later on the same day.
Your physiotherapist may give you exercises and advice to help
you to recover from the operation. It can take a few weeks to get
back to normal activities.
Regular exercise should help you to return to normal activities
as soon as possible. Before you start exercising, you should ask a
member of the healthcare team or your GP for advice.
Most people who have treatment have a major improvement.
However, it does take time for pain to lessen and movement to
increase. Symptoms often come back with time.
Summary
An arthroscopy of the elbow allows your surgeon to diagnose and
treat problems affecting the joint, without the need for a large
cut in the skin. This may reduce the amount of pain you feel and
speed up your recovery after surgery.
Acknowledgements
Author: Prof John Stanley MCh Orth FRCS (Ed) FRCSE
Illustrations: Medical Illustration Copyright © 2007 Nucleus
Medical Art. All rights reserved. www.nucleusinc.com.
This document is intended for information purposes only and
should not replace advice that your relevant health professional
would give you.
Copyright © 2008 EIDO Healthcare Limited
The operation and treatment information on
this website is produced by EIDO Healthcare Ltd and is licensed by
Ramsay Health Care UK.
The intellectual property rights to the
information belong exclusively to EIDO Healthcare Limited.
You may not copy, print out, download or
otherwise reproduce any of the information other than for your
personal, non-commercial use.
The information should not replace advice that
your relevant health professional would give you.
Hospitals offering this treatment