I regret to acknowledge that I have forgotten to describe what this procedure is. The procedure is Ulnar Collateral Ligament reconstruction or replacement surgery commonly called "Tommy John" surgery. The Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) is the ligament at the true elbow joint. The replacement is needed because the tear is usually at the base or hinge of the joint.
Tommy John was a pitcher in the 70's and was the first one ever to have this procedure done. He then was able to pitch another 12 years after the surgery. He credits it with saving his career.
Here are a few resources for you to take a look at that I've found to be helpful:
Wiki!: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_John_Surgery
A good article about it: http://thegoodpoint.com/2009/07/tommy-john-surgery-procedure/
Here's a video from the DMC in Detroit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huq8hrC4cOA&feature=fvsr
By the way, if you're at all squeamish, don't watch the video. It's a bit....meaty.
Enjoy kids!
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