Elbow Replacement

[Winnie53]

HI all hope today has been a good day for you. Has anyone had an elbow replacement? I'd love to know the outcome if you have. Thanks in advance.

[Jewels94]

Hi, I had my left elbow replaced last October and due to have right one done in next couple of weeks. Outcome so far has been good. I still haven't got full range of movement in my left arm but it is much better than it was.

[Winnie53 in reply to Jewels94]

Thanks for your reply. How is your strength in that arm? I have fairly good strength at the moment although I have a lot of pain. I've heard people say they have numbness or tingling in the hand afterwards, have you experienced anything like that?

[Jewels94 in reply to Winnie53]

I did get some numbing/tingling at the beginning but that has gone now. The strength is good, I have to remember to stick to the weight restrictions given to me by my surgeon which is not to lift anything over 5kg.

[Eiram50]

Hi Winnie

I can't offer anything here except my best wishes for you. However, I see my consultant again next month to speak about having both my elbows replaced so I will follow your posts with interest!

Again, wishing you the best going forward.

Marie

[dickfend]

Hi, I have had RA now for 45 years and had various operations to fuse and repair joints. I have infusions every 6 weeks at the hospital and are on the whole coping quite well with the treatment I receive. However, a few years ago I had a bursitis on my right elbow that I was having drained regularly. This caused the bursa to turn septic and I spent several weeks in hospital trying to relieve the infection with antibiotic infusions. They operated several times to remove the extremely swollen bursa. Eventually all was well. Then I started to get extreme pain in this elbow and they found that the infection had deteriorated the joint and it needed replacing. I had this done a few years ago and all went well. I never regained the full extension of the arm but it was painless. About a year ago the bursa again swelled to about the size of an egg and I went back to see the specialist who said that providing it doesn't give any problems they would not touch it as it is sterile due to it not being drained. I would definitely recommend having it done if the pain in the natural elbow is too great, which mine was. I do hope I have not put you off having it done because the relief is fantastic.

[davannh]

I have had both elbows replaced. Both have been totally successful, although I am only six weeks post my second one and it is still settling down. The horrible bone on bone pain I had before surgery went immediately after I woke up after the operation. I have more movement in both my elbows than I previously had. Make sure your surgeon specialises in elbows and,as it is not a common operation, make sure he/she has done a number of them. You are entitled to ask this question. I made sure I was only in hospital for 24 hours as I worry about infection. It is well worth having done. Once you have recovered you need to make sure you do not lift too much as this can damage the replacement joint.

[JulieMay in reply to davannh]

Hi, I hope you have a good recovery, It was great to read your op was successful. I have one elbow that's problematic but not at the stage of needing it operated on but if I do I will follow your advise and look for the right surgeon.