So, what really is Tommy John Surgery?

9 User Comments : Share your thoughts

1. 

   bradhurt2003 August 10, 2010 at 9:14 am

   it is when the surgeon takes ligament tissue from one part of your body and uses it to repair or replace a damaged ligament, usually in the elbow. tommy john was a pitcher who was the first player to have it done.

2. 

   Errol P August 10, 2010 at 9:43 am

   Definition: Tommy John surgery is a surgical reconstruction of elbow ligaments that are often torn in baseball pitchers.

   Who is Tommy John?
   Tommy John was a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. In 1974 he was unable to pitch because of injury to his elbow. Until that time, this particular injury ended the career of baseball pitchers.

   What ligament did Tommy John injure?
   The ligament injured was the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) on the inside of the elbow joint. Patients with injury to this ligament have pain on the inside of the elbow and instability of the joint. Other causes of pain on the inside of the elbow include tendonitis, and ulnar nerve conditions.

   What is Tommy John surgery?
   Tommy John surgery is a surgical procedure to reconstruct the UCL using a tendon from the forearm. The tendon is used to recreate the damaged ligament and improve the stability of the elbow joint.

   Tommy John surgery was developed by Dr. Frank Jobe in Los Angeles. Today, Tommy John surgery can be used to extend the career in many baseball pitchers; the success rate following surgery is about 85%.

3. 

   Wes T August 10, 2010 at 10:03 am

   What the guy above me said. It is to repair a nerve in the elbow that gets worn out when the bone rubs against it. This usually happens when someone throws in an unnatural way, such as in some curveballs.

4. 

   Slappy LaRue August 10, 2010 at 10:42 am

   Tommy John was an amazing surgeon. He invented the surgery. He did it on himself after a long night of binging on Jack Daniels. Then he came back and won 4 Cy Youngs. Doesn’t get any better than that.

   Hope this helps.

5. 

   Jimmy Bob August 10, 2010 at 10:45 am

   just go 2 wikipedia

6. 

   CP Blogger August 10, 2010 at 11:20 am

   I think…elbow…surgery…?!?!?

7. 

   Chipmaker August 10, 2010 at 11:37 am

   Medically it is known as “ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction”. John was the first patient to undergo the procedure. A ligament it taken from elsewhere in the body — usually a leg or the other arm — and grafted into the elbow in place of the damaged ligament.

8. 

   kariya92002 August 10, 2010 at 12:03 pm

   Like they said its elbow surgery…usually pitchers have this surgery and now most notably in another sport a QB Jake Delholmme of the Panthers had it

9. 

   The Heckler August 10, 2010 at 12:33 pm

   actually Tommy John was the first professional athlete to successfully undergo the operation in 1974….. not the 1st person. I can’t believe Mr Wikipedia (2 guys up) didn’t read the entire sentence.