Explanatory article published about Upper Extremity Orthopedics – Elbow Surgery

WYOMISSING, Pa. - April 19, 2019 - PRLog -- Any disease or injury that affects a shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist or hand also has a significant impact on a person's quality of life. Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Leonard J. Marchinski explains this subject in a new article. The complete article will be available on Dr. Marchinski's blog at https://leonardmarchinskimd.wordpress.com/

While upper extremity orthopedics refers to any process that is undertaken to treat a problem in the bones, joints, muscles, tissues, nerves, ligaments, and tendons of the hand and upper extremity area, this article focuses on elbow surgeries.

Elbow is a hinge joint that connects the upper arm to the forearm via humerus and the radius and ulna, respectively. The joint is held together by the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) from the outside and the medial collateral ligament (MCL) from the inside. The joint is also surrounded by a set of muscles that facilitate its movements. The muscles are attached to the bones via tendons and protected by the cartilage covers at the ends. For further protection and lubrication of the joint, bursa sacs are present.

Just like all other areas of medicine, surgeries make one category of treatment procedures for conditions that affect the structure and/or functioning of the elbows. The elbow joint can get affected due to a variety of reasons, such as injuries, diseases, trauma, aging, and overuse. Common diseases and elbow conditions that may require surgery for treatment include:

* Arthritis
* Elbow stiffness
* Bone spur
* Fractures
* Dislocations
* Ulnar and radial nerve entrapment
* Elbow instability

In most cases, surgery is the last choice of treatment and is only suggested or opted for when other measures, such as treatment, injection, splints, and physiotherapies, fail to provide relief.

Elbow surgeries can be performed in the following two ways:

1. Open Surgery
The surgical procedures performed in traditional ways i.e. by making incisions on or around the affected area are called open surgeries.

2. Arthroscopic Surgery
Also called keyhole or minimally invasive surgeries, they are performed by using an endoscope. These types of surgeries have been increasingly preferred because of minimal incisions and shorter recovery periods.

An example of a widely performed elbow surgery is Ulnar Nerve Decompression/Transposition. As evident from the name, this surgical procedure is performed to relieve pressure, and when necessary, reposition the ulnar nerve, which is responsible for providing muscles nerve supply and sensation to the forearm and the hand. Several factors can cause the ulnar nerve to get pressured and compressed and causes pain, numbness, and/or irritation in the elbow.

Some conditions that may increase the risk of ulnar nerve compression are cubital tunnel syndrome, fracture of the medial epicondyle – the area where the nerve is naturally located, rheumatoid arthritis, or even due to leaning of the elbow on a hard surface for a prolonged period of time.

During the ulnar nerve transposition surgery, the nerve is relocated from behind the medial epicondyle (its natural position) to the front of the elbow, so it no longer gets compressed or pinched.

Elbow surgeries are one of the most crucial ways for treating pain, swelling, tearing, fracture, or dislocation of the muscles, tendons, tissues, and bones that form the elbow joint. Hence, they make a crucial category of the upper extremity orthopedics.

*** Dr. Leonard J Marchinski is a medical doctor in Pennsylvania, focusing on orthopedic surgery.

Blog: https://leonardmarchinskimd.wordpress.com/
News: https://medicogazette.com/dr-leonard-j-marchinski#7929623...