Prior to having surgery you may be asked to see a primary care doctor to obtain
“medical clearance” and to insure that any medical problems are addressed and health
is optimized prior to surgery. Blood tests, an electrocardiogram, or chest x-ray
may be needed. In some cases, based on health risks, a more extensive evaluation
may be necessary.
Open elbow surgery is performed both as an outpatient and inpatient procedure. You
may be able to go home the same day or may stay in the hospital overnight depending
on the extent of the surgery.
The hospital or surgery center will contact you ahead of time to provide specific
details about your procedure. Make sure to follow the instructions on when to arrive
and especially on when to stop eating or drinking prior to surgery.
On the day of surgery a member of the anesthesia staff will talk with you about
anesthesia options. Open elbow surgery is performed with sedation, light general
anesthetic, or general anesthetic. Regional nerve block injections that numb just
your elbow area are rarely used in open elbow surgery because the numbing effect
can last for a few hours after the procedure is completed. Although the numbing
effect can help with managing pain, it prevents a careful nerve examination in the
recovery room to make sure that the nerves that travel down your arm are functioning
well.
If necessary for pain control, a regional anesthetic may be provided in the recovery
room after nerve examination.
Once in the operating room, you will be positioned to allow access to the elbow.
Care is taken to ensure that your spine and other pressure points in your arms and
legs are protected and padded after positioning.
Next, a tourniquet is applied to your upper arm which is then placed in an arm holder
to keep it in position during the procedure. A compressive dressing may be applied
to your lower arm and hand to limit swelling. The surgical team will clean your
skin with antiseptic and cover your shoulder and upper body with sterile surgical
drapes.
At the completion of surgery the incision is closed with stitches and covered them
with a large, soft bandage.
Postoperatively you may go home the same day or stay in the hospital overnight.
Postoperatively nurses will monitor your responsiveness and provide pain medication,
if needed. You will need someone to drive you home and stay with you for at least
the first night.
You can expect some pain and discomfort for at least a week after surgery. You will
be prescribed pain medicine to help with this discomfort.
It is important to ice and elevate your elbow regularly for 48 hours after surgery.
This will reduce the risk of severe swelling and help to relieve pain. When elevating
your arm, whether you lie flat or recline, make sure your elbow is resting higher
than your heart and your hand is positioned higher than your elbow.
Movement of your fingers and wrist frequently is encouraged to help stimulate circulation
and minimize swelling. Timing on when you can start these gentle exercises, as well
as return to daily activities, will depend on the type of surgery performed.
Rehabilitation plays an important role in getting you back to your daily activities.
An exercise program will help you regain elbow and forearm motion and strength.
A rehabilitation plan will be discussed at the first visit based on the intra-operative
findings.
Return to driving, basic activities of daily living, and return to work will depend
on the type of surgery you required.