Primary Repair of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries of the Elbow

Abstract

At our practice, we have successfully treated thousands of overhead athletes with the modified Jobe technique of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) repair. We used this technique regardless of the amount and location of the pathology encountered at the time of surgery. We asked whether the availability of modern anchor and suture technology, vast clinical experience with these injuries and their outcomes, and even biologic additives could be applied to some of these patients to achieve an equal or superior outcome in less time. This led us to create a construct that could be used to not only repair the torn native UCL tissue to bone, but also span the anatomic native ligament from its origin to its insertion. This construct includes an ultra-strong collagen coated tape attached at the anatomic insertions of the ligament using two 3.5-mm nonabsorbable PEEK corkscrew anchors and a suture through the eyelet of one of the anchors.