The findings from this study indicate that both Ultrasonic Tenotomy and Debridement (USTD) and Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) are highly effective, safe treatments for lateral elbow tendinopathy (LET), achieving a combined surgical avoidance rate of 86.5%. While both procedures significantly reduced pain over a 12-week period, USTD patients experienced a faster initial recovery, reporting significantly higher improvement at the 2-week mark compared to the PRP group. By the end of the 12-week study, USTD subjects reported a mean pain improvement of 78.8%, while PRP subjects reported 67.5%, with roughly 40% of all participants achieving near-total pain resolution.
Patient characteristics associated with treatment failure include Worker’s Compensation status or tendon tears for USTD, and LCL complex involvement for PRP.
