Tennis elbow is caused by the overuse of forearm muscles and tendons with traditional treatments including rest, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, and steroid injections. However, these approaches often provide only temporary relief. Musculoskeletal embolization has emerged as a promising option for how to treat tennis elbow that targets the root cause of pain.
Traditional treatments of tennis elbow often fail to address underlying tendon degeneration. Musculoskeletal embolization offers a minimally invasive alternative, targeting abnormal blood vessels to reduce pain and improve functionality. For expert care and innovative treatment, choose APEX Vascular, specializing in advanced endovascular techniques for tennis elbow relief.
What is Tennis Elbow?
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a type of tendinitis that causes pain in the elbow and arm. It results from overuse and repetitive motions that strain the forearm muscles and tendons, leading to inflammation and microscopic tears. Despite its name, it can affect anyone who engages in activities involving repetitive arm movements—not just tennis players.
Symptoms include pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow, which may radiate into the forearm and wrist. This condition can significantly impact daily life, making simple tasks like gripping objects, opening doors, or typing on a computer painful and difficult.
While there are plenty of traditional treatments, these sometimes fail because they often focus on reducing inflammation rather than addressing underlying tendon degeneration. Additionally, some treatments like corticosteroid injections may provide short-term relief but can lead to poorer long-term recovery.
The high rate of recurrence of this injury also contributes to the challenge of treating tennis elbow effectively.
What is Musculoskeletal Embolization?
Musculoskeletal embolization is emerging as the future of tennis elbow treatment by offering a minimally invasive alternative to major orthopedic surgery. This innovative procedure targets abnormal blood vessel growth (neovascularization) around the lateral elbow, which contributes to chronic inflammation and pain.
Unlike traditional treatments, such as corticosteroid injections that only provide temporary relief or surgeries that require months of recovery, musculoskeletal embolization addresses the root cause of pain. It does this by eliminating pathological vascular networks linked to tendon degeneration.
Studies show that 80-90% of patients experience significant, durable pain reduction within weeks. What’s more, they experience sustained improvements in grip strength and function at 2-year follow-ups.
Key advantages that accompany this form of tennis elbow treatment include:
- Outpatient procedure completed in fewer than 30 minutes
- Only requiring local anesthesia
- No surgical incisions or prolonged rehabilitation
- Lower complication risk compared to tendon-release surgery
- Effective for refractory cases where physical therapy and injections fail
Early clinical trials demonstrate embolization’s superiority in both safety profiles and long-term outcomes, positioning musculoskeletal embolization as a paradigm shift in managing chronic tendon pathologies.
How to Treat Tennis Elbow with Musculoskeletal Embolization
If you’re wondering how to treat tennis elbow with a cutting-edge approach, musculoskeletal embolization offers a minimally invasive solution. This procedure specifically targets the root cause of chronic pain and inflammation in the affected elbow.
Here’s how it works:
1. Microcatheter insertion: A small catheter is inserted through an artery in the wrist or groin under local anesthesia.
2. Imaging guidance: Using real-time X-ray imaging (fluoroscopy), the catheter is guided to the abnormal blood vessels causing pain.
2. Particle injection: Tiny embolic particles, about the size of grains of sand, are injected into small branch arteries. This reduces inflammation and desensitizes sensory nerves, addressing pain at its source—all in one procedure.
The entire process takes approximately 60-90 minutes and is performed as an outpatient procedure, allowing you to go home the same day. This innovative treatment offers long-term relief without the need for surgery or prolonged downtime. Recovery is quick, with most resuming light activities within 1-2 days and avoiding strenuous exercise for about a week.
Who’s a Candidate?
Candidates for tennis elbow treatment with musculoskeletal embolization typically meet the following criteria:
- Adults aged 18-80 years with diagnosed lateral epicondylitis
- Moderate to severe elbow pain during physical activity
- Experienced failed treatments like NSAIDs, physical therapy, and steroids for at least 6 months
- Life expectancy greater than 12 months
- Ability to provide informed consent
Embolization becomes a viable option when conventional treatments fail to provide relief and pain significantly disrupts daily life. It’s ideal for patients seeking a non-surgical solution, provided they don’t have health problems such as:
- Active infections
- Malignancies
- Severe kidney problems
- Uncorrectable bleeding disorders
With musculoskeletal embolization, you gain hope when struggling with persistent tennis elbow symptoms.
Come to APEX Vascular for This Revolutionary Treatment
With our expertise in minimally invasive procedures, APEX Vascular offers this cutting-edge technique that targets abnormal blood vessels causing pain and inflammation. This includes musculoskeletal embolization, which is the first disease-modifying intervention for osteoarthritis.
At APEX Vascular, we’re committed to personalized, high-quality care to support the best outcomes. Our experienced vascular staff utilizes advanced endovascular techniques, ensuring a tailored plan to meet your individual goals.
The interdisciplinary team at APEX offers a comprehensive approach to treatment, guiding you through your treatment options and making us your strong partner in managing vascular-related musculoskeletal pain.
Tennis elbow leads to pain and inflammation in the elbow and forearm. Traditional treatments often fail to address underlying tendon degeneration. Musculoskeletal embolization offers a minimally invasive alternative for how to treat tennis elbow, targeting abnormal blood vessels to reduce pain and improve functionality. For expert care and innovative treatment, choose APEX Vascular, specializing in advanced endovascular techniques for tennis elbow relief.
APEX Vascular is a vascular surgery and vein center with locations in Knoxville, Lenoir City, Crossville, Decatur, Harrogate, and Sevierville, TN. We are dedicated to delivering personalized, high-quality care that goes beyond medical treatment. Our exceptional vascular staff, boasting extensive experience in vascular surgery, works tirelessly to elevate the standards of patient care and contribute to your overall well-being. Visit us online or call us at 865-562-3232 to request an appointment today!
