Tennis Elbow (Lateral epicondylitis)
Lateral epicondylitis is the disease accompanied by the pain on the lateral elbow joint. It is generally observed between the ages of 30-50. The tendons are the tissues providing tne adherence of the muscles to the bones. Then tendons adherent to the side of the elbow are principally the tendons enabling the movement of wrist joint. The abrasion, injury or laceration of these adherent tendons are the main reasons of the pain. So, the pain occurs with the wrist movements and especially lifting weights and grasping the things (teapot etc.).
What is the cause?
Hitting the lateral side of the elbow or a sudden adverse movement may cause to the swelling (edema) on the tendon and abrasion and laceration in the next steps. The reaons is mostly the pressure of the tendons with repeated daily works. These are heavy houseworks, computer usage, sports or business based movements. These movements are generally the wrist movements to grasp things (keyboard use, playing tenis, installment, grasping teapot, chopping with knives etc.).
Symptoms: The most important symptom is the pain increasing day by day. The significant osteophyte (lateral epicondylitis) on the side of the elbow and the pain occurring by grasping or lifting a thing with the hand is typical. The pain may spread to the ar mor shoulder joint in some cases.
Treatment: Mostly, the results are successful with non-surgical treatment methods. The treatment should be gradually planned.
1) First of all, the forcing and movements that may cause to the pain in the daily life should be stopped. Nonsteroid anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAI), using splintys, strechning-strenthening exercises can be applied. The success rate of these treatment methods are generally low.
2)Corticosteroid (cortisone) injection:
Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory medicine. In case of uncessful results upon the aforementined treatment methods or as the first option, it can be injected to the painful area. The injection should not be made more tha 3 times. In some issues, it is stated that the osteophyte is perforated with the injector and the same results are received.
3)ESWL (shock wave) treatment:
Ultrasonic sound waves help the increase of blood stream on the adhesion point of the tendon to the bone and relief of the pain. The success rate is between 50-60%.
4)PRP (Protein RichPlasma) implementation:
It can be used in case of resistance to the other treatment methods or as the first treatment of the patients applying with long-term pain.
5)Surgical treatment:
Surgical treatment is rarely needed. Surgery is performed if the pain is not relieved and prevents the daily works for more than 6 months although all the non-surgical treatment methods are tried. The surgery is removing the sick tendon tissues and sticthing in some cases. The surgical intervention can be performed with clasic or laparoscopic method as required by the condition of teh disease. Full recovery after the surgery involves approximately 4-6 months including the rehabilitation period.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LATERAL EDPICONDYLITIS
The Archive of Hakan Gündeş
Worn and ruptured tendon tissue
The edge of healthy tendon tissue
The adhesion area of the tendon. It has to be cleared from the dead and worn tissues and provided blood stream again.
SURGICAL TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LATERAL EDPICONDYLITIS
The Archive of Hakan Gündeş
The edge of healthy tendon tissue
The adhesion area that is cleared from the dead and worn tissues and provided blood stream again.
