Risks of tennis elbow surgery include: • Slight loss of ability to straighten the arm. • Elbow pain that persists or recurs. • Infection, blood loss, and nerve damage (which are risks in all surgeries). • General or regional anesthesia risks, such as breathing problems. When is tennis elbow surgery appropriate? Surgical tendon repair is a reasonable treatment when there are large tears in the tendon from a sudden (acute) injury or if there is other severe damage to the elbow. Surgery may be a reasonable treatment for tennis elbow if you: • Have elbow pain after more than 6 to 12 months of tendon rest and rehabilitation. • Cannot do normal daily-living and job-related activities because of elbow pain. • Have had corticosteroid shots and still have elbow pain. If you need more information, see the topic Tennis Elbow.