Tennis Elbow (medically known as lateral epicondylitis) is a painful condition that makes it hard for you to enjoy athletic activities, get through your work day, or even perform basic tasks like gripping or lifting objects.

While tennis players are prone to this condition, anyone can be affected—it develops when your tendons are overused, leading to degeneration and inflammation. As the condition progresses, abnormal nerve endings and blood vessels can form in those damaged tendons. The result? They remain painfully inflamed, even when your elbow is rested and you’ve tried treatments such as medication, injections, bracing and physical therapy. At that point, many patients worry that the pain will never end. Luckily, there’s a new treatment option with promising results: embolization for tennis elbow relief.

What Is Elbow Embolization?

This procedure is minimally invasive and image-guided; it provides tennis elbow relief by blocking the flow of blood to those abnormal blood vessels in your damaged tendons. In turn, this reduces pain, inflammation and nerve sensitivity.  The procedure is performed via catheter, allowing your to avoid major incisions and general anesthesia.

Additional Benefits

• This procedure avoids large incisions, any implants and the need for joint reconstruction
• It can be performed as an outpatient procedure, without the need for overnight hospital stays
• There’s little downtime; most patients can resume light activity the day after their procedure
• Pain can be significantly reduced within one month following your procedure, according to this study, although some patients can feel relief much sooner—as early as two weeks after embolization.
• Inflammation is reduced while preserving your joint structure, meaning the anatomy does not have to be altered
• Proves tennis elbow relief for patients who wish to delay or avoid surgery, or for those who aren’t candidates for invasive procedures.

Who Should Consider Elbow Embolization?

This procedure is intended for patients with chronic tennis elbow pain that has lasted at least three months. Ideally, they will have tried non-invasive procedures before seeking elbow embolization, although this is not a candidacy requirement. To learn more about this procedure and start your pathway to tennis elbow relief, contact our team and request a consultation at one of our seven locations in the greater Houston and Dallas regions.