Living with persistent elbow pain, locking joints or instability can prevent you from participating in the things you love, whether that is throwing a baseball, lifting your grandchildren or simply performing daily tasks without discomfort. When bone tissue is damaged due to osteochondritis dissecans, the body sometimes needs assistance to repair itself.
At Fondren Orthopedic Group, we help you regain elbow stability and function. As one of the nation’s largest and most comprehensive associations of private orthopedic practitioners, we combine surgical expertise and evidence-based treatments with a compassionate approach to help you improve your quality of life.
Elbow bone grafting is a surgical treatment for osteochondritis dissecans. It involves replacing missing bone or providing a scaffold for new bone growth, helping improve the structural integrity of the elbow joint. Your specialist will select the grafting method that best suits your specific injury, age and activity level.
The different types of bone grafting we offer include:
Below is what to expect when you choose Fondren Orthopedic Group as your care provider:
Our treatment process begins with a comprehensive evaluation. To ensure your appointment is productive, we recommend gathering any relevant medical records or previous imaging results to share with your surgeon.
During your visit, we will perform a thorough physical examination and obtain updated imaging, such as X-rays or CT scans, to visualize the current state of your elbow. We will then discuss your goals, explain the benefits of specific procedures and create a personalized care and treatment plan. We’ll also help you verify your insurance coverage at this stage.
Depending on your case, we may recommend combining bone grafting with orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma or stem cell therapy.
We perform bone grafting under regional anesthesia with sedation to help you remain comfortable throughout surgery. Complex procedures that require an open incision to access the entire joint and internal fixation using screws or pins to hold the bone in place could take two to three hours.
For conditions with less disruption to the surrounding tissue, we use a minimally invasive process that involves small “keyhole” incisions and a tiny camera. This procedure may last one to two hours.
After surgery, we immobilize your elbow in a cast or splint to protect the graft. Recovery varies for every client, but age plays a significant role. Children and adolescents typically experience faster bone graft healing than adults due to their active growth plates. We will closely monitor your progress to determine the optimal pace for your recovery.
Once the bone is stable, your surgeon will recommend a physical therapy program to restore your range of motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding the elbow. If you’re an athlete, we’ll guide your recovery with sport-specific protocols, ensuring a safe transition from basic movement back to pitching, tumbling or swinging.
Fondren is a physician-led, private-practice group with more than 40 board-certified surgeons practicing in 10 subspecialties. We stand out with an exceptional track record, cutting-edge equipment and superior service that prioritizes your time and needs.
We also offer:
Restore your quality of life with expert bone grafting from Fondren. Schedule an appointment online today to discuss your condition with an experienced surgeon.
New location NOW OPEN in The Woodlands!
Congratulations to Dr. Thomas Mehlhoff who is retiring from active clinical practice in March, 2026 after 42 YEARS of service!
