Tommy John surgery

noun

Tom·​my John surgery ˈtä-mē-ˈjän- How to pronounce Tommy John surgery (audio)
plural Tommy John surgeries
: a surgical procedure in which a torn ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is replaced with a tendon graft typically obtained from a superficial muscle of the forearm : ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction
Dr. Timothy Kremchek, the medical director for the Cincinnati Reds, specializes in an elbow-ligament reconstruction procedure commonly known as Tommy John surgery, named for the Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who first underwent it, in 1974.Sara Corbett
But as an outfielder he hurt his throwing arm and had to have Tommy John surgery before the year was out.Kelli Anderson

Examples of Tommy John surgery in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Senzatela missed all of last season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Kyle Newman, The Denver Post, 25 Jan. 2025 Liam Hendriks is also set to make his Red Sox debut after spending last season rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Jen McCaffrey, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025 How Shohei Ohtani, other Dodgers helped recruit Roki Sasaki Jan. 22, 2025 At one point, Sasaki was advised by a doctor to undergo Tommy John surgery. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025 The lows include a season lost to Tommy John surgery in 2021 and what was a largely forgettable year in 2024. Zach Pressnell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for Tommy John surgery 

Word History

Etymology

after Tommy John (Thomas Edward John, Jr. born 1943), U.S. baseball player who underwent the surgery in 1974

First Known Use

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tommy John surgery was in 1984

Dictionary Entries Near Tommy John surgery

Cite this Entry

“Tommy John surgery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tommy%20John%20surgery. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Medical Definition

Tommy John surgery

noun
Tom·​my John surgery ˈtäm-ē-ˈjän- How to pronounce Tommy John surgery (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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