CAUSES
- Sporting injury especially baseball pitchers
- Baseball position players (e.g. catcher)
- Javelin
- Trauma
PREOP
- X-ray
- MRI Scan-Evaluate UCL, cartilage, and other ligaments
- MRI arthrogram: used for added detail.
TREATMENT OF UCL TEARS
- Partial UCL tears can be treated with injection of PRP or stem cells and physical therapy
- Complete tears are treated with surgery
UCL SURGERY
- An acute pure avulsion injury can be treated with UCL repair and internal brace
- A complete or chronic UCL injury is treated with UCL reconstruction (Tommy John Surgery) using a graft from the forearm (palmaris) or the knee (gracilis)
RECOVERY
- Arm in splint 10 daysl
- Brace for 6 weeks
- Full range of motion 8-10 weeks
- 4-9 months throwing program
- 9-12 months return to sport
- UCL repair can have an accelerated rehab (6 month return) but not all tears are amenable to repair and internal bracing.
DAY OF SURGERY
- General and local anesthesia
- 2 hour surgery
- Outpatient
WHEN TO HAVE SURGERY?
- Complete UCL tear or partial UCL tear that has failed therapy and injection
- Significant loss of velocity or pain with pitching
SUCCESS RATE
- 90%
UCL Repair Internal Brace
UCL Reconstruction-Docking
Questions?
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