Outcome of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction of the Elbow in 1281 Athletes

Abstract

Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction with subcutaneous ulnar nerve transposition was found to be effective in correcting valgus elbow instability in the overhead athlete and allowed most athletes (83%) to return to previous or higher level of competition in less than 1 year.

Pitcher’s elbow: medial elbow pain in the overhead-throwing athlete

“…They reported a 16 % incidence of postoperative ulnar nerve symptoms with anterior subcutaneous transposition. All but one of these cases fully resolved without further intervention by 1 year [46].…”

Outcomes for ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction: a retrospective review using the KJOC assessment score with two-year follow-up in an overhead throwing population

“…[2][3][4]12,20,27,32 The current study also evaluated return to play and return to previous level of play after UCL reconstruction. Our results are consistent with prior outcomebased reports with regard to return to previous level of play.…”

“…6,8,16,19,26 UCL injury most commonly occurs in overhead throwing athletes, particularly baseball pitchers, but it is also seen in other sports including javelin throwing, gymnastics, wrestling, football, and tennis. 4,10,11,13,17,18,20,21,25,32,33 Before the first UCL reconstruction performed by Jobe in 1974, UCL rupture was a catastrophic event in professional baseball pitchers. 13 Resultant medial elbow pain during the throwing motion as well as changes in accuracy, velocity, endurance, and strength resulted in an inability to throw effectively and was commonly career ending.…”

Common Injuries in Professional Football Quarterbacks

“…This is most likely due to the relative infrequency of UCL injuries in football compared to other overhead throwing sports such as baseball [30]. The largest series to date on UCL injuries in professional quarterbacks was published by Dodson and colleagues [28].…”