The Evolution of Tommy John Surgery: How the Procedure Has Changed Over 50 Years
Few procedures have had as significant an impact on sports medicine as Tommy John surgery. What began as an experimental operation in 1974 for a professional baseball pitcher has developed into one of the best-known forms of elbow ligament reconstruction in sports. The procedure is more formally known as ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction . It was developed by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Frank Jobe after Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tommy John suffered a devastating UCL injury. At the time, a torn UCL was generally considered a career-ending injury for a pitcher. Jobe's operation changed that expectation. More than five decades later, Tommy John surgery looks considerably different from the procedure performed in 1974. Surgeons have refined graft selection, fixation methods, surgical techniques, rehabilitation protocols and the understanding of throwing biomechanics. In some carefully selected injuries, surgeons may also consider UCL repair rather than traditional reconstru...