Elbow Surgery

At Sauk Prairie Healthcare, we employ board-certified orthopedic surgeons who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of elbow injuries requiring surgical intervention. There are multiple conditions affecting the bones, nerves, ligaments, and tendons that provide sensation and motor function to the elbows, and often these conditions include accompanying problems and symptoms affecting the hands and/or wrists.

Elbow Surgeries and Treatments

Ulnar Nerve Entrapment (Cubital Tunnel Syndrome)

The ulnar nerve supplies sensation and motor function to the arms, particularly, the outer halves of the ring fingers and little fingers. It is the largest nerve in the body not protected by muscles or bones, so it is prone to injury. You have likely felt the pain of a fleeting smack to the elbow, or “funny bone,” that causes a pins and needles sensation in the aforementioned fingers.

The ulnar nerve is usually reparable through a conservative approach and bracing, but not for everyone. Outpatient surgery can release ulnar nerve pressure and remove any cysts or scar tissues that compress the nerve. The result is usually full return of sensation and function in the following months.

Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis (Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow)

Lateral epicondylitis is colloquially called tennis elbow, and medial epicondylitis is the term for golfer’s elbow. Both cause elbow pain and dysfunction due to tendon injury that is usually caused by repetitive elbow movements often performed by tennis or golf athletes. Most clients respond well to non-surgical treatment, but about 10% go on to require surgical intervention through tendon debridement. Surgery frees the tendon, removes any scar tissue, and re-anchors the tendon to a nearby fascia. Exercise and physical therapy are important in the rehabilitation phase to restore function and flexibility.