★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★Open research. Global perspectives.
editor@theamericanjournals.comPublisher Home ↗
Medical Science OPEN ACCESS

Efficacy of arthroscopy in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Bianca Gabriella de Oliveira
Medical Student at the University of Salvador, Salvador, BA, Brazil
Heitor Ribeiro Mendonça
Resident physician in orthopedics and traumatology at the Santa Maria Regional Hospital, Brasília, DF, Brazil
Gabriella Trindade Fernandes
Resident physician in orthopedics and traumatology at the Santa Maria Regional Hospital, Brasília, DF, Brazil
Wander Júnior Ribeiro
Resident physician in orthopedics and traumatology at the Santa Maria Regional Hospital, Brasília, DF, Brazil
Melissa Alves Aires Marques
Medical Student at the Iguaçu University, Itaperuna, RJ, Brazil
DOI Crossref DOI 10.37547/tajmspr/Volume07Issue01-06
tajmspr 2025
VOL. 7 / NO. 01 JANUARY
FULL TEXT PP. 45-49
DOWNLOAD PDF

View all articles in this issue ↗

VOLUME 7
ISSUE 01
YEAR 2025
PAGES 45-49
RESEARCH OVERVIEW

Abstract

Lateral epicondylitis, popularly known as tennis elbow, has a high incidence in athletes, around 50%, with a high prevalence in beginners learning the one-handed backhand. It is a clinical orthopaedic condition with a major impact on public health due to its high frequency in manual workers, 10.5% of whom may have lateral elbow pain and 2.4% of whom have a confirmed diagnosis. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of arthroscopic versus non-arthroscopic techniques (open and percutaneous). This is a systematic review with meta-analysis. There is no need for approval by the ethics committee or institutional scientific review board. The reference lists of the included and previously published articles were searched for more relevant studies that met the eligibility criteria. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Five articles were selected containing patients diagnosed with lateral epicondylitis who underwent surgical treatment by arthroscopy, open surgery and/or percutaneous surgery. A total of 544 patients were included, with a mean age of 46 years. Of these, 347 were treated by arthroscopy, 81 by open surgery and 42 by percutaneous surgery. The results were analyzed using the DASH (Disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand) score, which assesses dysfunctions of the arm, shoulder and hand. In addition, some studies analyzed the VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) index, patient satisfaction, complications and other clinical assessment scales.Arthroscopic, open and percutaneous surgeries proved to be effective methods for treating lateral epicondylitis.However, because arthroscopy is a method that allows a complete intra-articular evaluation and adequate release of the tendons without ligament involvement, it was associated with a better prognosis in terms of pain, limb mobility and consequent patient satisfaction when compared to open and percutaneous procedures.

RESEARCH TOPICS

Keywords

Lateral epicondylitis Arthroscopy Treatment

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.
SOURCES & SCHOLARSHIP

References

  1. Abrams GD, Renstrom PA, Safran MR. Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injury in the tennis player. Br J Sports Med 2012;46:492-498.
  2. De Smedt T, de Jong A, Van Leemput W, Lieven D, Van Glabbeek F. Lateral epicondylitis in tennis: Update on aetiology, biomechanics and treatment. Br J Sports Med 2007;41:816-819.
  3. Karkhanis S, Frost A, Maffulli N. Operative manage- ment of tennis elbow: a quantitative review. Br Med Bull. 2008;88(1):171-188.
  4. Pomerantz ML. Complications of lateral epicondylar release. Orthop Clin North Am. 2016;47(2):445-469.
  5. Calfee RP, Patel A, DaSilva MF, et al. Management of lat- eral epicondylitis: current concepts. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2008;16(1):19-29.
  6. van Hofwegen C, Baker CL III, Baker CL Jr. Epicondylitis in the athlete’s elbow. Clin Sports Med. 2010;29(4):577-597.
  7. Bot SD, van der Waal JM, Terwee C, van der Windt D, Bouter LM, Dekker J. Course and prognosis of elbow complaints: a cohort study in general practice. Ann Rheum Dis. 2005;64(9):1331–6
  8. Sanders TL Jr, Maradit Kremers H, Bryan AJ, Ransom JE, Smith J, Morrey BF. The epidemiology and health care burden of tennis elbow: a population-based study. Am J Sports Med. 2015;43(5):1066–71
  9. Bisset L, Beller E, Jull G, Brooks P, Darnell R, Vicenzino B. Mobilisation with movement and exercise, corticosteroid injection, or wait and see for tennis elbow: randomised trial. BMJ. 2006;333(7575)
  10. Tasto JP, Richmond JM, Cummings JR, Hardesty R, Amiel D. Radiofrequency microtenotomy for elbow epicondylitis: midterm results. Am J Orthop. 2016;45(1):29–33.
  11. Tasto JP, Cummings J, Medlock V, Hardesty R, Amiel D. Microtenotomy using a radiofrequency probe to treat lateral epicondylitis. Arthroscopy. 2005;21(7):851–60
  12. Pierce TP, Issa K, Gilbert BT, Hanly B, Festa A, McInerney VK, Scillia AJ. A Systematic Review of Tennis Elbow Surgery: Open Versus Arthroscopic Versus Percutaneous Release of the Common Extensor Origin. Arthroscopy. 2017 Jun;33(6):1260-1268.e2
  13. Nirschl RP, Pettrone FA. Tennis elbow. The surgical treatment of lateral epicondylitis. J Bone Joint Surg Am 1979;61:832-839.
  14. Baumgard SH, Schwartz DR. Percutaneous release of the epicondylar muscles for humeral epicondylitis. Am J Sports Med 1982;10:233-236
  15. Adams JE, King GJ, Steinmann SP, Cohen MS. Elbow arthroscopy: Indications, techniques, outcomes, and complications. Instr Course Lect 2015;64:215-224
  16. Baker CL Jr, Murphy KP, Gottlob CA, Curd DT. Arthro- scopic classification and treatment of lateral epicondylitis: Two-year clinical results. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 2000;9: 475-482.
  17. Jerosch J, Schunck J. Arthroscopic treatment of lateral epicondylitis: Indication, technique and early results. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2006;14:379-382.
  18. Kim JW, Chun CH, Shim DM, et al. Arthroscopic treat- ment of lateral epicondylitis: Comparison of the outcome of ECRB release with and without decortication. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc 2011;19:1178-1183.
  19. Mullett H, Sprague M, Brown G, Hausman M. Arthro- scopic treatment of lateral epicondylitis: Clinical and cadaveric studies. Clin Orthop Relat Res 2005;439:123-128.
  20. Othman AM. Arthroscopic versus percutaneous release of common extensor origin for treatment of chronic tennis elbow. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2011;131:383-388.
  21. Clark T, McRae S, Leiter J, Zhang Y, Dubberley J, MacDonald P. Arthroscopic Versus Open Lateral Release for the Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial. Arthroscopy. 2018;34(12):3177-3184. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2018.07.008
  22. Solheim E, Hegna J, Øyen J. Arthroscopic versus open tennis elbow release: 3- to 6-year results of a case-control series of 305 elbows. Arthroscopy. 2013;29(5):854-859. doi:10.1016/j.arthro.2012.12.012
  23. Ertem K, Ergen E, Yoloğlu S. Functional outcomes of arthroscopic treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 2015;49(5):471-477. doi:10.3944/AOTT.2015.15.0048
  24. Othman AM. Arthroscopic versus percutaneous release of common extensor origin for treatment of chronic tennis elbow. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2011 Mar;131(3):383-8. doi: 10.1007/s00402-011-1260-2. Epub 2011 Jan 21. PMID: 21253755.
  25. Szabo SJ, Savoie FH 3rd, Field LD, Ramsey JR, Hosemann CD. Tendinosis of the extensor carpi radialis brevis: an evaluation of three methods of operative treatment. J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2006;15(6):721-727. doi:10.1016/j.jse.2006.01.017
  26. Burn MB, Mitchell RJ, Liberman SR, Lintner DM, Harris JD, McCulloch PC. Open, Arthroscopic, and Percutaneous Surgical Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review. Hand (N Y). 2018 May;13(3):264-274.
  27. Pomerantz ML. Complications of lateral epicondylar release. Orthop Clin North Am. 2016;47(2):445-469.
  28. Cohen MS, Romeo AA. Open and arthroscopic manage- ment of lateral epicondylitis in the athlete. Hand Clin. 2009;25(3):331-338.
  29. Dodson CC, Nho SJ, Williams RJ III, et al. Elbow arthros- copy. J Am Acad Orthop Surg. 2008;16(10):574-585.
  30. Karkhanis S, Frost A, Maffulli N. Operative manage- ment of tennis elbow: a quantitative review. Br Med Bull. 2008;88(1):171-188.
  31. Yeoh KM, King GJ, Faber KJ, et al. Evidence-based indica- tions for elbow arthroscopy. Arthroscopy. 2012;28(2):272- 282.
  32. Lo MY, Safran MR. Surgical treatment of lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007;463:98-106.
CONTINUE EXPLORING

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Explore other published research by the authors of this article.

JOURNAL ARTICLE 2023

TEMPORAL ANALYSIS OF THE PREVALENCE OF OSTEOARTICULAR PAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH

Melissa Alves Aires Marques, Bianca Gabriella De Oliveira, Allan Rodrigues Corsini, Cícero Azevedo De Moraes Filho, Paloma Pinheiro De Aquino Peixoto, Fabricio Negreiros Holtz, Rafael Costa Nerys, Laís Cristina Pereira Da Silva, Marcella Rodrigues Costa Simoes
PUBLISHED IN The American Journal of Medical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 5 No. 11 (2023): Volume 05 Issue 11
View Article
JOURNAL ARTICLE 2023

SCIENTIFIC UPDATE ON POST-OPERATIVE PAIN MANAGEMENT IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

Bianca Gabriella De Oliveira , Melissa Alves Aires Marques , Ábila Dutra Oliveira , Cícero Azevedo De Moraes Filho , Paloma Pinheiro De Aquino Peixoto , Fabricio Negreiros Holtz , Rafael Costa Nerys , Laís Cristina Pereira Da Silva, Marcella Rodrigues Costa Simoes
PUBLISHED IN The American Journal of Medical Sciences and Pharmaceutical Research Vol. 5 No. 11 (2023): Volume 05 Issue 11
View Article
1 2 3 > >>