Autologus Blood Injection for Recurrent Lateral Epicondylitis

Background and Tennis elbow is a common complaint. Several treatment strategies, such as corticosteroid injections and physical terapy and braces have been described with no predictable efficacy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the result of refractory lateral epicondylitis with autologus blood injections. Twenty two patients with lateral epicondylitis were injected with 2 mL of autologous blood under the extensor carpi radialis brevis. All patients had failed the two previous non surgical treatments including all or combination of physical therapy, splintinge, non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication and prior steroid injection. The patients were evaluated with patient-rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE). The average fallow-up period was 7.3 months (range, 4-10mo). After autologus blood injection, the average pain score decreased from 43.7 to 9.1 (P-value < 0.001). The average functional score decreased from 42.4 to 10.1 (P-value <0.001). On the basis of this study, this minimally invasive treatment advocates refractory Tennis elbow.