Mini-incision medial collateral ligament reconstruction of the elbow

Abstract

The anterior bundle of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the elbow is the primary restraint to valgus load. It has been well documented that throwing athletes are prone to injury of this structure secondary to the repetitive valgus loads subjected to the elbow with overhead pitching [1-4]. Originally described in javelin throwers [5], this injury is almost exclusively seen in overhead-throwing athletes, with baseball pitchers being the most prevalent group of patients. Injury to the MCL has also been shown in wrestlers, tennis players, professional football players, and arm wrestlers [1, 5-7]. Symptomatic valgus instability can arise in these athletes after a MCL injury, thus necessitating operative intervention. Although injury to the MCL in the nonthrowing athlete can have excellent results with nonoperative intervention [8, 9], the overhead-throwing athlete may find an injury to the MCL of the elbow to be a career-ending event if surgical intervention is not employed.