Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Using the Novel Docking Plus Technique in 324 Athletes

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Retrospective case series of 324 athletes undergoing elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction over 9 years.
• Focus on the novel Docking Plus technique, differentiating from studies at major orthopedic institutions.
• Examines outcomes in a private practice setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the effectiveness and patient satisfaction of the Docking Plus technique for elbow UCL reconstruction.
• Assess the return-to-play rates and levels of competition post-surgery.
• Compare outcomes to previous studies and establish the technique's viability.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 324 athletes who underwent UCL reconstruction (November 2005 - December 2014).
• Mailed surveys and phone calls used to collect subjective outcome data.
• 19-question survey assessed surgical outcomes, satisfaction, and return to sport.

Main Results:

• 88% of patients achieved good or excellent Conway scores.
• 92% reported subjective satisfaction; 97.2% felt surgery was a good decision.
• 36% returned to a higher level of competition, 45% to the same level; 90.9% returned to play within 1.5 years.
• Re-tear rate was 2.5%; 8.8% experienced temporary nerve dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• The Docking Plus technique yields excellent subjective and objective results in athletes.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the procedure in diverse settings.
• Comparison with other reconstruction or repair methods is warranted.