Tommy John Surgery — the revolutionary surgery named after the first person to receive it, MLB pitcher Tommy John, who died Sunday at the age of 83 — has saved thousands of pitchers' careers over the past five decades.
The groundbreaking procedure was developed in 1974, when John was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and tore the ulnar collateral ligament on the inside of his left elbow.
Dr. Frank Jobe, the Dodgers' team physician, performed the four-hour UCL reconstruction surgery on Sept. 25, 1974, forcing John to miss the entire 1975 season.
The surgery entailed replacing the UCL with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. In that case, Jobe took a tendon from John's right wrist, drilled holes in John's injured elbow, and wove the tendon through the holes.
At the time, Jobe estimated one-in-100 odds of John's return to pitching in the Major Leagues, according to MLB.com.
#john #surgery #jobe #sunday
The groundbreaking procedure was developed in 1974, when John was pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers and tore the ulnar collateral ligament on the inside of his left elbow.
Dr. Frank Jobe, the Dodgers' team physician, performed the four-hour UCL reconstruction surgery on Sept. 25, 1974, forcing John to miss the entire 1975 season.
The surgery entailed replacing the UCL with a tendon from elsewhere in the body. In that case, Jobe took a tendon from John's right wrist, drilled holes in John's injured elbow, and wove the tendon through the holes.
At the time, Jobe estimated one-in-100 odds of John's return to pitching in the Major Leagues, according to MLB.com.
#john #surgery #jobe #sunday
2 months ago
