Elbow Arthroscopy Surgery

Arthroscopic Surgery of the Elbow Joint

Arthroscopic surgery, also known as key-hole surgery, is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat problems involving the knee joint. It involves making small incisions (portals) to insert a thin telescope and other miniaturised instruments into the joint, allowing the surgeon to visualise the inside of the joint on a video monitor and perform necessary repairs or reconstruction.

It is a minimally invasive technique since it involves using very small incisions without having to open the joint. It helps to minimise the surgical pain and allows for faster recovery times and early return to function.

Common Elbow Joint Conditions Treated with Arthroscopy (key-hole surgery)

1. Loose body removal: Loose bodies are pieces of bone or cartilage inside a joint. These are formed either due to an injury, or due to osteoarthritis or due to a condition called ‘osteochondritis dissecans.’ Loose bodies typically cause ‘locking’ (jamming) of a joint along with pain. Arthroscopic surgery can easily remove these loose bodies with instant relief of symptoms.
2. Osteochondritis disseccans: This is a unique condition affecting a joint in which the bone underlying the cartilage of a joint becomes loose and detached from the joint surface. This is commonly seen in the knee, elbow and ankle joints. It is caused due to an acute injury or due to repetitive injury to the joint. It causes pain on activity with locking of the joint. Arthroscopic surgery is used to either fix the loosened fragment back in its place or remove the loose and detached fragment.
3. Synovitis: Synovitis is the inflammation of the synovial lining of the ankle, often causing swelling, pain, and stiffness. Arthroscopy allows for direct examination and removal of the inflamed tissue, providing relief from symptoms and improving joint function.
4. Treatment of stiff elbow: The elbow joint may become stiff (restriction of movements) due to a contracture of the capsule and soft tissues following any injury, or due to arthritis involving the elbow. Arthroscopy can help to release the tight structures (arthrolysis) or for debridement (clearance) of the arthritic joint.

Open surgery for certain elbow conditions

Some elbow injuries and conditions may require an open surgery, or a combination of open and arthroscopic surgery:

1. Ligament tears of the elbow: There 2 main sets of ligaments in the elbow (the medial and lateral collateral), which can be torn due to an injury. Open surgery is required to repair or reconstruct these ligaments.
2. Soft tissue release of a stiff elbow: Stiffness of the elbow (limitation of movement) occurs due to contracture of the capsule and soft tissues of the elbow. It frequently follows any injury to the elbow. Open or arthroscopic surgery may be required to release the tight tissues to regain movement in the elbow.
3. Elbow replacement surgery: Total elbow replacement may be required in patients with severe arthritis of the elbow. A partial elbow replacement (replacing only the radial head) may be required in some cases of radial head fracture.