• Gosuke Oki, Kousuke Iba, Kouichi Sasaki, Toshihiko Yamashita, and Takuro Wada.
• Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan. Electronic address: gousuke1717@yahoo.co.jp.
• J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2014 Oct 1; 23 (10): 1527-31.

BackgroundThis study evaluated recovery from chronic lateral epicondylitis after arthroscopic treatment.MethodsTwenty-three consecutive patients (5 men, 18 women) with chronic lateral epicondylitis underwent arthroscopic surgery. Patients were a mean age of 49 years. Prospective outcome data were collected before the operation and at 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery. Outcomes were assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS: 0-100), grip strength percentage (compared with the unaffected side), the Japanese Orthopaedic Association elbow score, and the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire.ResultsA mean VAS score at rest of 26 preoperatively improved to 8 (P = .0026), 6, and 3 at 1, 2, and 3 months after surgery, respectively. A mean VAS score during activity improved from 68 preoperatively to 35 (P < .001), 23, and 19 at 1, 2, and 3 months after surgery, respectively. Both VAS scores gradually decreased up to 24 months after surgery. The mean grip strength improved from 66.1% preoperatively to 88.7% at 2 months after surgery (P < .001). The mean Japanese Orthopaedic Association elbow score improved from 38 points preoperatively to 61 points at 1 month after surgery (P < .001). The mean Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score improved from 32 points preoperatively to 15 points at 3 months after surgery (P < .001).ConclusionArthroscopic surgery for lateral epicondylitis provides significant improvement in pain and functional recovery up to 3 months after surgery. However, it takes more than 6 months for the VAS score during activity to fall below 10 points.Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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