TY - JOUR
T1 - The modified docking procedure for elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction
T2 - 2-Year follow-up in elite throwers
AU - Paletta, George A.
AU - Wright, Rick W.
PY - 2006/10/1
Y1 - 2006/10/1
N2 - Background: Ulnar collateral ligament injury is most common in the overhead-throwing athlete. Jobe et al published the first report of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in throwing athletes with a 62.5% success rate. Recently, Altchek developed a new docking technique for reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament. The authors report the first series using a further modification of the docking technique using a 4-strand palmaris longus graft for reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament. Hypothesis: The modified docking technique yields a high rate of successful return to preinjury level of competition in elite baseball players. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 25 elite professional or scholarship collegiate baseball players who underwent elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction using the modified docking procedure with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Results: Twenty-three of 25 (92%) were able to return to their preinjury levels of competition. The mean time to return was 11.5 months (range, 10-16 months). Complications included 1 transient postoperative ulnar nerve neurapraxia and 1 stress fracture of the ulnar bone bridge that occurred at 14 months postoperatively, after a full return to pitching. Conclusion: The modified docking technique yields highly successful return to preinjury level of competition rates (92%) in a select group of elite baseball players.
AB - Background: Ulnar collateral ligament injury is most common in the overhead-throwing athlete. Jobe et al published the first report of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in throwing athletes with a 62.5% success rate. Recently, Altchek developed a new docking technique for reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament. The authors report the first series using a further modification of the docking technique using a 4-strand palmaris longus graft for reconstruction of the ulnar collateral ligament. Hypothesis: The modified docking technique yields a high rate of successful return to preinjury level of competition in elite baseball players. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The authors retrospectively reviewed 25 elite professional or scholarship collegiate baseball players who underwent elbow ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction using the modified docking procedure with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Results: Twenty-three of 25 (92%) were able to return to their preinjury levels of competition. The mean time to return was 11.5 months (range, 10-16 months). Complications included 1 transient postoperative ulnar nerve neurapraxia and 1 stress fracture of the ulnar bone bridge that occurred at 14 months postoperatively, after a full return to pitching. Conclusion: The modified docking technique yields highly successful return to preinjury level of competition rates (92%) in a select group of elite baseball players.
KW - Elbow
KW - Pitchers
KW - Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33748646805&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0363546506289884
DO - 10.1177/0363546506289884
M3 - Review article
C2 - 16832125
AN - SCOPUS:33748646805
SN - 0363-5465
VL - 34
SP - 1594
EP - 1598
JO - American Journal of Sports Medicine
JF - American Journal of Sports Medicine
IS - 10
ER -