Swann has learned to manage the problem over the years, however it flared up again during England's loss to a New Zealand XI in Queenstown.
Swann added: "It came about quite suddenly. I have struggled intermittently with a sore elbow for about four years but it never manifested itself into a dire predicament for me.
"Then in Queenstown before the game I felt an unusual pain that I hadn't felt since before the last operation and that rapidly got worse throughout the game.
"It doesn't seem anywhere as near as dire as the last time when it felt like a bomb had gone off in there.
"The fact you have to have surgery means you have a pretty serious injury so I was hoping that I would get to the end of my playing days and not have to go back under the knife.
"Everyone hopes that. It just suddenly flared up and the scans said it needed to be sorted.
"It is a huge year for English cricket and a huge year for me but if this means I take a more active part in it, so it's something I have to do."
