The index patient and his surgeon
John and Jobe, circa 1975
Americans love baseball. So much so that they even name surgical procedures after famous players. In 1974, Dodgers pitcher Tommy John ruptured the ulnar collateral ligament of his throwing arm. This was a feared injury, the end of a career. Dodgers Orthopaedic surgeon Frank Jobe offered a different path. Jobe proposed a graft repair of the ruptured ulnar ligament, using the novel technique of a donor tendon from the palmaris longus muscle in the forearm. The one you can see and feel when you flex your wrist. The pioneering surgery went well and John returned to play another 13 seasons. Pretty soon this surgery was commonplace. Cut to 2026 and around 1 in 7 of MBL pitchers have had Tommy John surgery. This is controversial, as there is evidence that pitch velocity seems to improve after the surgery due to the altered mechanics of the elbow, particularly if performed in younger developing players. #jobessurgery #letsmakelemonade
Pen Paint and Scalpel 