TOMMY JOHN SURGERY

FACTS ABOUT TOMMY JOHN AND THE SURGERY

First performed in 1974 by Dr. Frank Jobe.
First patient was Tommy John, a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.
The operation currently only takes an hour and a half (it took nearly 4 hours in 1974).
Chances of a comeback are 84-90% (Tommy John's odds were unknown).
Average recovery period is 11-12 months.
For more about Tommy John go to: www.BaseballLibrary.com

HOW THE OPERATION TAKES PLACE

The Ulnar collateral ligament is a band of tissue that connect two or more bones together and supports the arm while pitching.
If this ligament is damaged, it is impossible to gain speed while throwing any object.
Dr. Jobe replaced the torn tendon in Tommy John's left arm with the one from his right arm by threading it through holes in the bone both above and below the elbow.
If no "accessory ligament" is found in the arm or hand, the tendon will be harvested from the leg or foot.

This site was created for Biotechnology ISSI470 @ Monmouth College