Total Elbow Replacement in Wayne, NJ

When patients in Wayne, NJ experience elbow pain and mobility challenges, they often turn to High Mountain Orthopedics. In some cases, conservative treatments provide relief. For other patients, a surgical solution is required. In these cases, we deliver cutting-edge total elbow replacement procedures to help patients recover when pain and other symptoms are difficult to resolve.

Who Needs Total Elbow Replacement?

Total elbow replacement is an option available to patients whose elbow joint is severely damaged. When other procedures cannot correct this damage, a replacement can provide relief and restore function. The procedure replaces damaged tissue and bone with artificial alternatives and may be used to treat elbow damage due to the following conditions:

• Osteoarthritis: This age-related condition occurs as cartilage breaks down in the elbow, letting bones rub against one another, chip, and form bone spurs.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: For those affected by this type of arthritis, the immune system begins to attack membranes surrounding your joints, causing chronic inflammation and cartilage loss.
• Tumors: As a tumor grows in the elbow joint, it damages the surrounding connective tissue and bone. This long-term damage may linger even after the tumor is removed.
• Fractures: Your elbow is a sensitive joint. When it receives a direct blow or is put under excessive stress, its bones may fracture – sometimes beyond traditional repair.
• Tissue tears: Joint function is supported by a collection of connective tendons and ligaments that may tear as the result of overuse or injury.

Each of these conditions requires unique treatment methods, and it’s essential to consult with a highly skilled and trained orthopedist to determine which will be most effective. When conservative treatments prove unsuccessful, total elbow replacement offers a solution for many individuals.

Our Process

If you and your doctor agree that an elbow replacement is the best next step, you will discuss the procedure with the surgeon. You may be asked to stop eating, drinking, or taking certain medications before the surgery. Then, the procedure itself follows these steps:

1. General anesthesia is used to put you to sleep through the entire operation.
2. Our surgeon makes a small incision at the back of the elbow, then gently moves muscles aside to access the joint.
3. Scar tissue and bone spurs are removed from around the joint. The bones are then prepared to fit the metallic pieces that will replace the joint.
4. The surgeon carefully places the titanium replacement pieces, binding them into place with bone cement before connecting them with a hinge pin.
5. The incisions are closed and the arm is wrapped in a sterile bandage.

Surgery is usually followed by a two-to-four day stay in the hospital to monitor the patient’s condition. After pain begins to improve and doctors are confident the procedure was successful, you will be sent home. You must not put weight on the arm for six weeks after surgery to ensure a successful outcome. Following this period, a well-planned physical therapy program restores strength and mobility and facilitates your return to normal activities.

Begin Your Recovery

Total elbow replacement isn’t right for every patient with elbow pain or mobility concerns, but it can improve quality of life and eliminate discomfort for those with more serious conditions. To learn more about whether you’re a candidate for total elbow replacement, connect with High Mountain Orthopedics. Our team provides a variety of orthopedic procedures for patients in Wayne, NJ, as well as nearby areas, and will help you take the first steps toward recovery. Contact us online today to learn more or schedule an appointment.