Groundbreaking new procedure set to change Tommy John Surgery forever.

Introducing the revolutionary TJ3 procedure, also known as The Triple Tommy John, a groundbreaking advancement in Tommy John surgery. TJ3 represents a new era in UCL reconstruction, offering baseball players at all levels faster, smoother recoveries with fewer setbacks and extended career longevity. This innovative approach aims to increase success rates and accelerate rehabilitation, meeting the heightened demands of today’s amateur and professional baseball players.

TJ3 — Advancement & Observations

Triple Tommy John is a significant advancement in elbow reconstruction. This innovative technique combines native ligament repair with an internal brace and ligament reconstruction, paired with remarkable bio-engineering technology. TJ3 offers a comprehensive solution for athletes with UCL injuries. The initial results are impressive, with several hundred patients benefiting from this cutting edge procedure. During the early phases of rehabilitation, the TJ3 elbows demonstrate tighter flexion, especially in positions where the ligament endures the most stress — an encouraging sign of added resilience. Players also report significantly less soreness throughout their rehab and throwing progressions, contributing to faster recoveries. Most importantly, many athletes are returning to play sooner than expected, showing that the Triple TJ is not just a surgery; it’s a game-changer that could redefine the future of elbow reconstruction in sports!

The Modern Player has Unprecedented Elbow Stress

In 2023, more professional pitchers underwent Tommy John surgery than in the entire 1990s combined, highlighting a profound shift in the demands of baseball. In 2022, Major League Baseball reported 427 pitchers on the injured list, resulting in 30,728 lost days and $486 million spent on sidelined players. As the Yankees’ Head Team Physician and a Tommy John Surgery expert, I’ve witnessed this evolution firsthand in professional and amateur athletes. The situation is even more concerning at the youth level, where teenagers are now the fastest-growing group needing Tommy John surgery.

Early in my career, UCL injuries were primarily a problem for seasoned
professional pitchers with thousands of innings behind them — veterans whose elbows had worn down after years of heavy use. But today, in 2024, the landscape has drastically changed. UCL injuries no longer target only the overworked professional; they now affect pitchers at every stage — first-year high school students, college standouts, and aspiring Major Leaguers. Alarmingly, these injuries are no longer rare among position players. Professional and high school outfielders, infielders, and even catchers succumb to UCL injuries at unprecedented rates.

The current epidemic extends beyond baseball. Softball players, gymnasts, javelin throwers, and even the coaches who train them are now ending up in my operating room, their elbows breaking down under the same strain that once only plagued pitchers. The scale of the problem is staggering. Just last week, on a routine Tuesday, I performed Tommy John surgery on ten athletes, including three professional pitchers undergoing the procedure for the third time. That’s right — third. The ligaments we once thought we could protect are tearing again, pushing us into uncharted territory.

The Ever Changing Demands of the Game

The relentless emphasis on velocity and power has driven players to throw more frequently and with greater intensity — stresses the human arm was never designed to endure. With higher stakes than ever, athletes are pushed to maximize their performance to compete at elite levels. Pursuing scholarships, access to top universities, lucrative contracts, and endorsement deals drives players to make their bodies to the limit. Coaches, under pressure to win, often demand more from their athletes, accelerating the wear and tear on their arms. Today’s hyper-competitive environment is fueled by the chase for maximum velocity.

Bigger and Stronger Athletes

At 6 feet 3 inches and 190 pounds, Tommy John does not represent today’s typical athletes undergoing the surgery that bears his name. In 1974, the average height of an MLB pitcher was approximately 6 feet 1 inch and 190 pounds. More significantly, stronger athletes increasingly dominate Major League Baseball pitching. Today’s pitchers, averaging around 6 feet 2 inches and weighing between 210 to 225 pounds, reflect the evolving physical demands of the game, driven by the pursuit of higher velocity — but not without consequence.

Recent studies show that a player’s weight, body mass index (BMI), and height contribute to UCL injury risk. Heavier players with higher BMIs are more prone to these injuries. Height also plays a significant role; as the average height of pitchers continues to increase, so does their average arm length, directly affecting the stress on the UCL. Think of it as a lever — the longer the arm, the greater the torque generated during a pitch. More torque means more stress on the UCL, making taller pitchers with longer arms particularly vulnerable. Simply put, the bigger the player, the higher the risk to the UCL.

UCL Fragility

In 2021, MLB introduced the MLB Draft Combine, a significant addition to the draft process modeled after the NFL Combine but tailored for baseball. We analyzed the MRIs of 245 top amateur pitchers, the best in the nation, to assess the condition of their elbows. The results were surprising and alarming: 70% of these young athletes had abnormal findings in their elbow MRIs.

To break it down, about 27% of these pitchers already had some level of UCL tear. Partial-thickness tears, where the ligament is damaged but not completely torn, were found in 24% of players. Full-thickness tears, where the ligament is completely torn, were present in 3%. The location of these tears varied: the UCL can tear proximally (closer to the body), distally (farther from the body), or in the middle (mid-substance). Most full tears were located distally, while partial tears were spread across all areas.

Additionally, 36% of the pitchers showed signs of preligamentous edema — swelling or fluid buildup around the UCL — indicating significant elbow stress. Muscle strains were observed in 14% of players, mostly mild, but still evidence of overuse. Not all tears are the same, but these findings reflect these young arms’ intense strain.

UCL Weakness

The UCL is surprisingly weak, facing an uphill battle against the immense stress it endures. Let’s look at the numbers: the UCL’s failure strength is around 32 Newton meters, but throwing a baseball generates about 50 Newton meters of force on the ligament — far beyond its capacity. By all measures, the UCL should tear with every pitch. So why doesn’t it? Why does this weakest link in the chain somehow hold on, each pitch ticking away like a time bomb? And when it does get injured, the UCL struggles to heal effectively.

Several factors influence healing, with tear size and location being the most critical. Full-thickness tears are less likely to heal compared to partial tears. Tears in the UCL’s upper portion (proximal) tend to heal better than those in the lower portion (distal). Even if healing occurs, the UCL often gets scarred, with calcifications, fibrosis, and some looseness. This already weak ligament may only partially regain its strength.

Additionally, the presence of calcifications and fibrosis means that if Tommy John surgery is needed, the reconstructed ligament faces even greater stress, potentially compromising the success and longevity of the surgery.

Need for Accelerated Timelines for Return

The timing of a UCL injury can be devastating, impacting a player’s season and, more importantly, their career trajectory. For high school players hoping to get recruited an injury during a crucial year can make a decade of training and dreams of playing at the next level feel like they’re slipping away — not just for the player but for their parents, too. For professional players, the stakes are even higher. Suffering an injury when a new contract is on the line can mean losing millions of dollars, putting immense pressure on athletes to get back on the mound as quickly as possible.

Many players are willing to risk accelerating their rehab in pursuit of these
rewards, often pushing their bodies to the brink to avoid missing crucial opportunities. This is where accelerated rehabilitation becomes a critical, albeit risky, course correction. It’s a race against time — a balancing act between healing and performance that can dictate a player’s future. For some, the urgency to return to pitching isn’t just about the game; it’s about preserving their entire career and everything they’ve worked for.

Career Duration

A new and unsettling reality is emerging in baseball: the relentless pursuit of velocity is taking a toll on the longevity of professional careers. While the NFL has long dealt with the harsh impact of short career spans, MLB is now confronting a similar challenge. The average NFL career lasts just 3.3 years, with many players going broke within three years of retirement and filing for bankruptcy within 12 years.

The impact of this trend in baseball is significant. Rookies who debuted in 2000, before the league’s velocity obsession began, enjoyed average careers of 6.95 years. By contrast, rookies who debuted in 2020 are seeing their average career length shrink to just 3.19 years. It’s as if MLB pitchers are becoming the new NFL running backs — pushed to their physical limits, with careers cut short by the relentless demand for power and performance. Surgery can get players back on the field. Still, the real challenge and ultimate goal are keeping them there, preserving their health, and extending their careers in a game that often prioritizes power over longevity.

Revision Tommy John Surgery

So what happens if a player re-tears their UCL after Tommy John surgery? Most often, the answer is to undergo the surgery again. However, the success rates for revision surgeries are notably lower than for the initial procedure. Redo surgeries come with increased risks, longer recovery times, and a reduced likelihood of players returning to their previous level of performance. The challenge then becomes: how can we improve outcomes for those facing a second or third Tommy John surgery? Advancements in surgical techniques, personalized rehabilitation protocols, and tailored approaches to each athlete’s unique anatomy and biomechanics are crucial. Understanding why the first surgery failed — whether due to technique, overuse, or inadequate healing — allows us to refine our approach.

Innovations like biologic enhancements, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
injections or stem cell therapy, aim to promote better healing of the reconstructed ligament. Additionally, more precise rehabilitation strategies that focus on strengthening the entire kinetic chain, from the shoulder to the core and lower body, can help support the elbow and reduce stress on the UCL. Ultimately, improving outcomes for revision surgeries means fixing the ligament again, addressing the underlying reasons for failure, and supporting the athlete’s recovery journey. By integrating advanced techniques and personalized care, we can give players a better chance of returning to the game and thriving in it.

TJ3 Procedure — Surgical Technique

Warning, graphic surgical images (age- restricted content)

Arm positioned & various skin incisions outlined | Palmaris longus graft identified in the incisions | Palmaris longus delivered out of incision & suture placement

Skin incision to approach the UCL | Forearm muscle split to approach the UCL | Scalpel in position to incise the native UCL

UCL sutures tied. Final construct of the UCL reconstruction

TJ3 Procedure — Full Surgical Video

Warning, graphic surgical scenes (age- restricted content)

What Exactly Is The Internal Brace & What Is It Made Out Of?

The internal brace, a critical advancement in modern UCL reconstruction,
represents a remarkable blend of bioengineering — combining strength with biocompatibility to provide enhanced support for the repaired ligament. Picture a high-tech rope designed to restore elbow stability, crafted from specialized materials that work together seamlessly. This “tape’ known as Arthrex Collagen Coated Tape, consists of two main components: ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers and collagen. The UHMWPE fibers are a super-strong plastic, similar to materials used in fishing lines or bulletproof vests, providing the core strength of the tape. This incredible durability is crucial for reinforcing the UCL, allowing it to withstand the immense forces generated during pitching.

However, strength alone is not enough. The tape must also be biocompatible to integrate smoothly with the body’s tissues and promote healing. This is where the collagen coating plays a vital role. Collagen, a natural protein found throughout the body, forms a friendly outer layer that encourages the body’s tissues to heal around the synthetic fibers. The unique combination of the strong UHMWPE fibers and the healing properties of collagen makes Arthrex Collagen Coated Tape ideal for UCL
reconstruction. It offers the structural support necessary to protect the repaired ligament while fostering a healing environment, reducing the risk of complications. This innovative approach exemplifies the ongoing advancements in sports medicine, where cutting-edge science and engineering enhance athletes’ recovery and longevity.

Baseball is a stage where dreams are made and broken, young athletes are
pushed to their limits, and the drive for success can overshadow long-term health. The pressure to perform, make the team, earn a scholarship, or reach the next level creates a sense of urgency and a fear of missing out, making every game and showcase a critical turning point. With my expertise in Tommy John surgery, particularly revision surgery, I have spent years guiding pitchers through this challenging landscape. My focus is not just on immediate repair but on ensuring that athletes return more robust and resilient, equipped to handle the demands of the game and extend their careers. This requires a deep understanding of UCL healing, a commitment to innovative techniques, and prioritizing the long-term health of athletes. At its core, it’s about a simple but profound belief: every athlete, especially young ones, deserves to be supported, educated, and guided toward a healthier future in the game they love. It’s about empowering them to make informed decisions, ensuring that the pursuit of greatness does not come at the cost of their health and dreams.