What Is Tommy John Surgery?

Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, also known as Tommy John surgery, is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, or with one from a deceased donor.

Why do they call it Tommy John surgery?

The goal of the surgery is to stabilize the elbow, reduce or eliminate pain and restore stability and range of motion. This procedure was introduced and first performed by Frank Jobe, M.D., on baseball pitcher Tommy John in 1974—hence the colloquial name Tommy John surgery.

How bad is Tommy John surgery?

Also, as with any surgery, there are risks. Only about 80 to 83 percent of professional baseball players return to the same level of performance after having Tommy John surgery. For high school players (age 18 and younger), it's less — around 70 to 73 percent.