Dr. ElAttrache asked about the longevity of the evolving surgical technique
Interview Link: After 50 years, Tommy John surgery is evolving to increase success and sometimes speed return
NEW YORK (AP) — Tommy John surgery, like baseball itself, is evolving to increase success and sometimes speed return.
Dr. Jeffrey R. Dugas developed a procedure that cut recovery time to as little as nine months for some pitchers with torn elbow ligaments. He envisions more innovations within five-to-seven years.
“We’re going to add new levels of biologic manipulation, whether it’s collagen or stem cells or things like that,” said Dugas, who worked with Dr. James Andrews. “We will be able to enhance all of these things and potentially make them go a little faster or heal more reliably.”
In the 50 years since Dr. Frank Jobe ‘s first Tommy John surgery, the operation has saved careers and earned fortunes. Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache estimates 80% of pitchers return to their prior performance level.
Texas Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister combined traditional TJ ligament replacement with the internal brace, what is known as a hybrid procedure. Among his success stories is Tyler Glasnow, who is set to pitch on opening day for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“His theory is that players are throwing so much harder, with also so much spin, that they are putting so much stress on that ulnar ligament,” Altchek said. “He thinks the failure rate is creeping up — we just haven’t proven it statistically yet — and therefore adding this synthetic strong suture will protect the reconstruction over time.”
That was the procedure ElAttrache undertook with two-way star Shohei Ohtani last Sept. 19 — the Dodgers were confident enough in the repair to give Ohtani a record $700 million contract months later.
“The theory is that the internal brace suture and the repaired native ligament will share the load of the new graft as the graft is maturing,” ElAttrache said. “And so, you have you have increase in strength. And we think that it’s going to reveal itself to be increased longevity.”
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