You can have surgery for bursitis if other treatments don’t work. Your doctor might suggest:
- Elbow surgery: If your elbow bursa is infected and antibiotics don’t help, your doctor can remove it. You’ll wear a splint afterward, and you’ll get stretches to do as you recover.
- Shoulder surgery: A type of surgery that requires only small cuts can remove your inflamed shoulder bursa. You’ll wear a shoulder sling afterward, and you’ll get exercises to stretch and strengthen your shoulder and arm.