Based on the results of your interview, examination, and imaging studies, you can expect a custom care plan catered specifically to you.

Many people believe it’s best to wait until pain becomes severe, leading them to “put off” or delay treatments like elbow arthroscopy.

If you are in constant discomfort, have shooting or stabbing pains, have limited range of motion, or an inability to perform your daily activities, elbow arthroscopy may be right for you.

New technologies allow patients with elbow pain to fully recover and enjoy the benefits of a more functional, pain-free lifestyle.

Prior to surgery, you will typically receive at least 2 phone calls:

• A hospital registration representative will call to gather insurance and other personal information.
• A registered nurse will call to review your health history and medication information.

Dependent on your health history, your physician may require:

• Pre-surgical laboratory tests
• X-rays
• Primary care clearance

Pre-operative instructions will vary depending on your physician and the location of your surgery.

Always check with your physician prior to surgery.

Most physicians require that patients not eat or drink after midnight prior to surgery the next day.

Additionally, you will need a designated family member or friend to drive you home on the day you are released from the hospital. Surgical patients cannot drive themselves home.

If you schedule your surgery with a KCOA physician, you can expect the following on surgery day: 

• A receptionist will check you in at the hospital registration desk.
• A nurse will take you back and prepare you for surgery. They will start an IV, prepare the surgical site, and review your medical history and medications.
• Your surgeon and anesthesiologist will visit with you prior to your operation.
• The surgical team will take you to the operation suite for surgery.

An elbow arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows surgeons to see inside the joint. The surgeon inserts a small tube with a camera through a minor incision, allowing them to make a more definitive diagnosis, and eliminating the need for a large surgical incision.

We typically use arthroscopy to make a diagnosis when X-rays and other imaging tools do not provide answers. In many cases, KCOA physicians also use arthroscopy to treat orthopedic conditions such as tennis elbow, removal of loose bodies in the joint, scar tissue removal and arthritis

During an elbow arthroscopy in Kansas City, you will remain under general anesthesia. The surgeon fills the elbow joint with fluid and makes several small incisions around the elbow, so they can insert a tiny camera (arthroscope) into the joint, giving them a clear guide for the surgical instruments.

Saline-based fluid flows through the arthroscope to keep the image clear and bleeding minimal. This is quite different from an open surgery, which requires a much larger incision and typically longer recovery times.

After assessing the injury and condition, your surgeon will begin the repair. Elbow arthroscopy gives access to many repair options, like treating tennis elbow, removing inflamed tissue or loose bone fragments and cartilage, releasing scar tissue that is blocking motion, and treating fractures and breaks.

After your surgery, you will remain in the recovery room while our experienced clinical team monitors you, providing pain relief medication, if needed.

Arthroscopy isn’t as invasive as open surgeries, but it may still take from a few weeks to a few months for your elbow joint to fully recover.

You can expect swelling, soreness and bruising in your elbow for several days after surgery. The swelling and discoloration may also spread to your hand or lower arm.

It’s important to keep your arm elevated with an ice pack after surgery to reduce swelling and soreness.

Many patients will be fit with a splint or a sling after surgery. The type of splint and the amount of time you’re instructed to wear the splint depends on the type of procedure performed and your physician’s preferences.

Your treatment team may suggest physical or occupational therapy following your elbow arthroscopy. Therapists help patients regain their range of motion, function and strength while also providing guidance on self-care and home exercises.

We recommend regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, and monitoring your blood sugar levels if you’re diabetic.

In doing so, you may reduce the amount of stress on your joints to slow down any potential degenerative process.