[ PRO BASEBALL ]

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Yates is prepared
for long recovery
after arm surgery

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By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com

Tyler Yates underwent "Tommy John" surgery Wednesday in New York to repair a completely torn medial collateral ligament in his right arm.

The procedure takes about an hour and a half, much less than the four hours it took to repair the arm of Tommy John, when he was a 31-year-old left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1975.

Yates, the former Kauai High School and Hawaii-Hilo hurler, hurt his arm with a 100 mph pitch last week for Triple-A Norfolk in the New York Mets' farm system.

John had torn the ulnar collateral ligament in his left arm. Back then, that was a career-ending injury, but John told Dr. Frank Jobe to "make up something."

The history-making procedure Jobe devised involves taking a tendon from the pitcher's other arm and threading it through holes drilled into the humerus (upper arm) and the ulna (forearm) above and below the elbow.

The tendon used for repair is an accessory tendon that does not have a useful function otherwise and is usually taken from the hand, wrist or forearm.

John came back and pitched 14 more seasons, winning 164 games.

The surgical procedure has changed only slightly over the years. Jobe, a team physician for the Dodgers, has performed more than 200 such operations.

According to Jennifer Dawkins in an article on drkoop.com, not all such surgeries are success stories.

Dawkins writes that there is only a 70 percent to 80 percent success rate, according to Dr. Art Rettig, associate clinic professor at Indiana University and physician at Methodist Sports Center. Rettig has performed approximately 25 ligament replacements. "You only hear about the ones who come back," he said, "but I've had some college players who didn't. It's not 100 percent."

Oakland's Billy Koch, St. Louis' Jason Isringhausen, the Dodgers' Darren Dreifort, New York Yankees David Wells and Steve Karsay and the Cubs' Kerry Wood all had the procedure and have resumed their careers.

The huge challenge for the player who has "Tommy John" surgery is the demanding rehabilitation process.

Here is what Steve Hoffman, a Board Certified Sports Physical Therapist, had to say:

"The rehabilitation program following Tommy John surgery requires an inordinate amount of time and patience on the part of the athlete. The surgery requires extensive reconstruction by the orthopedic surgeon and it takes up to one year before a pitcher is able to comfortably and safely pitch without risk of injury to the reconstructed ligament.

"Perseverance, patience, and a strong work ethic are required for a pitcher to return to competition following this procedure. The stresses placed on the elbow are so extreme that it requires a protracted period of time for healing. This surgery has proven to be successful as long as the pitcher is compliant with his program and follows specific guidelines outlined by his trainer/therapist/surgeon."

Yates said he won't be fazed by the time and hard work it takes to recover.

"I've even heard some pitchers throw harder after the surgery," said Yates, who arrives back in Hawaii today.