An elbow replacement, also known as elbow arthroplasty, is a surgery performed to relieve pain and treat various conditions affecting the bones and joints in the elbow, such as rheumatoid arthritis or traumatic elbow fractures.

The elbow itself is a type of joint known as a hinge joint and is made up of three different bones, namely, the humerus, radius, and ulna bones. With that in mind, elbow replacement surgery can be either total or partial.

During elbow replacement surgery, the orthopedic surgeon will remove the entire elbow joint and replace it with a prosthetic joint formed from two implants if it is a total elbow replacement surgery. If it is a partial elbow replacement surgery, the orthopedic surgeon will only remove the damaged portion of the elbow and replace it with a prosthetic implant to preserve the majority of the arm and forearm.

An elbow replacement procedure generally takes around two hours to complete, during which the patient will be asleep, as general anesthesia will be administered prior to beginning surgery.

In most cases, elbow replacements can last for a significantly long time! With proper care, recovery, and physiotherapy, elbow replacements can last anywhere between ten to 20 years. After this time, the prosthetic elbow joint may loosen or wear out, upon which a revision elbow replacement surgery may be necessary. Revision elbow replacement surgery involves the removal of the old prosthetic implants and replacing them with new ones.

Elbow replacement surgeries have a high success rate, as most individuals who have them performed are greatly satisfied with the results and experience a noticeable improvement to their overall quality of life.

After elbow replacement surgery, patients will require several weeks of physical therapy and rehabilitation to restore strength, flexibility, and range of motion to the elbow and forearm. Recovery from elbow replacement surgery may take up to six weeks, after which your orthopedic doctor or physical therapist will provide you with various range of motion exercises to take care of the new elbow joint.

Your orthopedic surgeon will go over all of the details about how to properly care for your elbow and arm both before and after elbow replacement surgery to ensure long-term success from the procedure.

If you are dealing with chronic and debilitating pain in your elbow, there are numerous benefits that an elbow replacement surgery could provide to you. With that in mind, some potential benefits of an elbow replacement procedure include the following:

• Long-term solution for chronic pain and dysfunction with the elbow
• Increased range of motion within the elbow joint
• Reduced pain in the elbow joint

If you would like more information about elbow replacement surgery or want to schedule a consultation with one of our orthopedic doctors and surgeons at The Orthopedic Group, we would love to hear from you! Please feel welcome to schedule an appointment with us through our website or by calling us. The Orthopedic Group has three clinics located in Lansdowne, Leesburg, and Stone Springs, Virginia. We serve patients from Leesburg VA, Lansdowne VA, Stone Springs VA, Dulles, VA, Ashburn VA, Sterling VA, Aldie VA, South Riding VA, Herndon VA, Winchester VA, Reston VA, and Chantilly VA.