Tommy John Surgery (UCL Ligament)
Tommy John Surgery (TJS) is a colloquial name for a surgery to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), the ligament that holds the elbow together and stabilizes it. Injuries to the UCL are especially common in baseball among pitchers due to the incredible physical strain caused to the arm by pitching. The common treatment for pitchers suffering from tears in their UCL has been the Tommy John Surgery, a procedure that involves drilling holes in the ulna and the humerus and attaching a graft tendon taken from elsewhere in the body. Pitchers can typically begin throwing again after 18 weeks and will miss a full professional season in recovery. A percentage never return to play while some careers are cut short. Regenexx has helped a number of high-level athletes with UCL tears avoid surgery and get back on the field faster.
During this outpatient procedure, our expert physicians use precise image guidance to inject custom concentrations of your body’s natural healing mechanisms into the exact areas of damage in your elbow to repair damaged tissues and to improve function and mobility. Best of all, your downtime will be a fraction of surgery, with little to no need for opioid pain medications or time off of work. Call our patient care coordinators today to get started on your path to recovery.
Three Steps From First Call to a Treatment Plan You Can Act On
Step 1 — Check Your Eligibility
Send us your imaging and tell us what is going on. We review your radiology at no cost and tell you honestly whether an image-guided, non-surgical approach is worth exploring for your condition.
Step 2 — Schedule Your Consultation
A full evaluation with advanced ultrasound and MRI review. Regenexx consultations average a full hour: complete history, hands-on examination, imaging review and a real diagnosis explained in plain language.
Step 3 — Start Your Healing Plan
If you are a candidate, your physician builds a personalized plan around your diagnosis: Regenexx bone marrow concentrate or platelet procedures, supported by therapies such as prolotherapy and MLS laser, with follow-up at six to eight weeks.
The treatments behind these procedures
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01
Regenexx procedures — bone marrow concentrate and advanced platelet procedures, placed under image guidance.
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02
Platelet Rich Plasma — concentrated platelets from your own blood, for tendon and ligament damage and mild arthritis.
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03
Prolotherapy — for ligament laxity and joint instability.
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04
MLS Laser Therapy — non-invasive pain and inflammation control, often alongside the above.
Which one fits your case is decided at the evaluation, from your imaging and the tissue involved — not from a web page.
Find out whether we can treat your tommy john surgery (ucl ligament)
Send your imaging ahead
If you already have an MRI or X-ray, upload it before your visit and Dr. Derrington will review it in advance.
Two offices
Carlsbad and Laguna Hills, serving San Diego and Orange County.
Or call us directly at (760) 721-4000 - Carlsbad Office or (760) 721-4000 - Laguna Hills Office
Ready to Find Out If a Non-Surgical Approach Could Work for You?
Call us to schedule an in-office or telehealth appointment, or fill out the form and our team will reach out. We will ask about your condition, explain which options may apply, and tell you honestly whether an evaluation makes sense.
If we are not the right fit for your condition, we will tell you — and try to point you in the right direction.
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