Elbow Ligament Tear / Repair for Elbow Dislocation

Posterolateral rotatory instability is the most common type of elbow instability and is caused due to tearing of lateral ulnar collateral ligament injury.

There are three types of elbow ligament injury:

• Grade 1 is mild and often referred to as a sprain of a ligament in MRI reports. The fibers of the ligament are stretched, but continuity is present.
• Grade 2 is a moderate injury where a partial tear means a significant number of fibers are torn, but continuity is maintained.
• Grade 3 is the most severe type, in which there is a complete rupture or tear of the ligament, and continuity is absent.

Symptoms include:

• Pain
• Swelling in the elbow joint
• Weakness of loss of stability at the elbow
• Loss of fast movement at the elbow and accuracy
• If the ligament has been torn recently, a pop sound may be heard in the elbow during the injury

The risk factors of elbow ligament injury involves:

• Trauma involving elbow
• Overhead throwing in sports like cricket, javelin throwing, baseball, badminton, lawn tennis
• In a few cases, post-surgery involves the elbow.

Diagnosis includes detailed medical history, physical examination, x-ray, and MRI of the elbow joint.

Most cases of ligament injury are treated without surgery. The other treatment method includes:

• Rest
• Ice packing of joint
• Immobilization of the elbow with the use of splints and plaster
• Pain killers
• Physiotherapy

Results are good; the patient can return to daily life or sports in 2-3 months.

The use of pla-te-let rich pl-as-ma growth factors (P-R-P GF) has increased in recent times. Patients having partial tears and low-grade problems can undergo injections. Consult with your surgeon about the injections in elbow joints.

The surgery for elbow ligament injury is done under following cases:

• If after a long time of treatment, the problem in the elbow is still their surgery will be considered
• Complete rupture of the ligament, which has not healed after taking treatment for a long time
• Elbow ligament injury surgery is a complex procedure, and a decision has to be taken in consultation with your surgeon as when to do surgery depends on many factors.

The surgical treatment for elbow ligament injury includes:

• Tommy John surgery for ulnar collateral ligament injury
• Biceps tendon tear- reattaching the torn tendon to its original position
• Triceps tendon tear- reattaching the torn tendon to its original position
• Reconstruction of ligament for lateral ulnar collateral ligament injury

The first person to undergo the procedure was Tommy John, a baseball player with torn Ulnar Collateral ligament; it is named after him.

The injury to elbow ligaments can be prevented in following ways:

• Always use proper sports technique, and for professional players, training is essential
• Rest
• Strengthening muscles around the elbow and upper limb
• Stretch as much as possible
• Proper equipment used for the body while playing sports
• Warm up is a must for all physical activity

The elbow ligament injury may involve following complications: 

• Infection
• Injury to blood vessels
• Injury to nerves
• Wound healing problems
• Stiffness of the elbow
• Recurrent stability

The success rate is high with new advances and the latest technology. Consult with your surgeon about prognosis and risk factors.

It depends on the severity of the disease, age, and procedure performed. We believe in developing a protocol for the patient. As no two patients are the same, in consultation with the surgeon and physiotherapist, a protocol is decided for every patient.

It depends on the hospital category chosen by patients and the type of implant discussed. At Simpainortho.com, we have tried to reduce the cost of surgery and hospital expenses and included complete after-surgery services, which patients require after surgery in the package. As we know treatment doesn’t end at the discharge of the patient. To ensure the quick recovery of patients in simpainortho.com, we believe that a patient requires expert care within the most comfortable surroundings until he/she can join routine activities. So, we have made different packages for different patients according to need, and that too at the most affordable prices.

Yes, most insurances have included elbow ligament surgery.