Wrist surgery

Todai · May 11, 2012

ECU tendon sheath repair

Just wanted to ask if anyone out there has ever gone through ECU tendon sheath repair? I ruptured my tendon sheath in my left wrist while playing softball for a season and although the inflammation has gone down, my ECU tendon is now unstable and subluxes over the little bone on the top side of your wrist beneath the pinky finger during impact. During every day normal activity it feels fine and there is no pain at all but if I try to hit a ball with anything more then half a swing it's a sharp pain as the tendon snaps over the bone.

My doctor has told me that it will not heal on it's own since I waited too long to treat it, got the injury in early January, and that surgery is the only option to prevent it from moving. Another option was to avoid anything that aggravates it which includes golf and we all know that really isn't an option. My question is for anyone that has gone through this is what is the recovery time and after recovery did it feel like it was 100% again. Also were there any unforeseen side affects from the surgery such as decrease in range of motion, arthritis, etc.?

I've since learned my lesson that I really shouldn't be playing any other sports aside from golf because it seems as I get older it's a lot easier to get more substantial injuries

. I appreciate any information or feedback anyone can provide on this. Thanks.

aiyyer · June 6, 2012

Hello,
I had surgery to remove tumors in my left palm that turned out to be benign. The surgery was six weeks ago, had some complications and just started physical therapy today. Wow - surgery was the easy part, everything else has been hard.
Based on the range of motion I have now it may be fall before I can play again.
Be sure that you really need surgery.
Get the best surgeon possible.
Get a realistic recovery period from the surgeon
Understand that the fingers and wrist are complicated with nerves all over the place and recovery may take a little longer
Good luck and keep me posted.

Todai · June 11, 2012

[quote name='aiyyer' timestamp='1339034377' post='5044528']
Hello,
I had surgery to remove tumors in my left palm that turned out to be benign. The surgery was six weeks ago, had some complications and just started physical therapy today. Wow - surgery was the easy part, everything else has been hard.
Based on the range of motion I have now it may be fall before I can play again.
Be sure that you really need surgery.
Get the best surgeon possible.
Get a realistic recovery period from the surgeon
Understand that the fingers and wrist are complicated with nerves all over the place and recovery may take a little longer
Good luck and keep me posted.
[/quote]

Hi Aiyyer. Thanks for your input. After finding some other posts in golfwrx I am seeing similar issues people are having issues with recovery from wrist surgery. I am glad that I have held off and not gone forward with it yet. The surgeon I went to never did a MRI so I may go back and have him do one just to make sure the issue is my ECU tendon sheath because based on my research it seems that it could be a TFCC issue as well.

For your situation did the tumor tear anything? Did they have to repair anything in addition to removing the tumor? Did they put you in a full arm cast? How about the pain?

In reading the other posts I have found this thing called the Wrist Widget which is designed for TFCC injuries. I got it and tried it the other day and I was able to hit a full shot for the first time in 6 months. I know it's probably a temporary solution for now but I'm happy that I can play again. I'm thinking that long term I will still have to probably get the wrist operated on. I wish you the best of luck on the recovery and I would love to hear how your progress over time. Take care.

D_tective · August 14, 2012

Injured my right wrist on the driving range on March 13, 2012...torn ECU sheath. Even though rare, they claim this happens to golfers, tennis players and seldom a hockey player. You have to have perfect crappy timing for this to happen. (damage occurrs with combination of forearm rotation and striking an object) I went to an orthopedist after xray eliminated broken bones. Swing didn't hurt at all but when the combination of arm rotation and striking the ball occurred...WOW!! Felt like a sledge hammer hitting my ulnar bone. My orthopedist did an MRI and was not comfortable doing any surgery to the hand (hand is very complex) and he sent me to a sports clinic 3 hours away. So it takes a month to get in and this DR that initially treats me is in Sports medicine and he gives me a shot and says...you will be back on the course in 2 weeks. HE says MRI does not show the sheath torn. Well he was wrong and after 2 more weeks, he sends me across the hall to a hand surgeon. So now I'm 6 weeks post injury and I cannot hit a golf ball for fear of messing my pants from pain. I'm no better off than the day it happened. Now my hand specialist has no love for golf period which concerned me. He was all business...He is one of the best and buddy he knows it...if you know what I mean. He put me in an arm splint (to the elbow) that prevented my forearm from rotating. I wore that darn thing through May 2012 and I'm still not able to hit a ball. I have to tell him repeatedly that my wrist does not hurt unless I make contact with a ball. FINALLY, he gets a 2nd MRI with wrist in various positions and he tells me I need the surgery to "reconstruct" the sheath. I had the surgery June 19, 2012. Today as I make this post, I'm 8 weeks post surgery. I have been in the same splint since surgery...8 solid weeks, day and night. I have been in therapy since week one. My surgeon would not allow just anyone to do the therapy and I could not drive 3 hours twice a week so THEY found me a certified hand therapist that worked 2 days a week in a nearby town 30 minutes away. I have done nothing but regain mobility since surgery. Tomorrow I am supposed to be placed into a smaller splint and not required to sleep in a splint any longer. We are going to begin strengthening tomorrow.

So as of 8 weeks post surgery...I have most mobility back BUT I still have to get all my ligaments stretched back to normal which has been a very slow process. My Surgeon says after 12 weeks, he is not afraid that I can "undo" or damage anything they did in surgery so we will see. I had no choice but get the surgery or else...I would not be able to play golf again and that was NO OPTION...I love this game.I only wish we could have did the repair earlier...I've been out since March 13 and missed all summer thus far and I would have already been back "IF" this is successful and I feel confident that it will be....I do have a slight "clicking sound" in my wrist now but it's not painful at all. So until I hit a golf ball I really don't know...... 4 more weeks...Time will Tell!!!

Todai · August 14, 2012

[quote name='D_tective' timestamp='1344948206' post='5468328']
Injured my right wrist on the driving range on March 13, 2012...torn ECU sheath. Even though rare, they claim this happens to golfers, tennis players and seldom a hockey player. You have to have perfect crappy timing for this to happen. (damage occurrs with combination of forearm rotation and striking an object) I went to an orthopedist after xray eliminated broken bones. Swing didn't hurt at all but when the combination of arm rotation and striking the ball occurred...WOW!! Felt like a sledge hammer hitting my ulnar bone. My orthopedist did an MRI and was not comfortable doing any surgery to the hand (hand is very complex) and he sent me to a sports clinic 3 hours away. So it takes a month to get in and this DR that initially treats me is in Sports medicine and he gives me a shot and says...you will be back on the course in 2 weeks. HE says MRI does not show the sheath torn. Well he was wrong and after 2 more weeks, he sends me across the hall to a hand surgeon. So now I'm 6 weeks post injury and I cannot hit a golf ball for fear of messing my pants from pain. I'm no better off than the day it happened. Now my hand specialist has no love for golf period which concerned me. He was all business...He is one of the best and buddy he knows it...if you know what I mean. He put me in an arm splint (to the elbow) that prevented my forearm from rotating. I wore that darn thing through May 2012 and I'm still not able to hit a ball. I have to tell him repeatedly that my wrist does not hurt unless I make contact with a ball. FINALLY, he gets a 2nd MRI with wrist in various positions and he tells me I need the surgery to "reconstruct" the sheath. I had the surgery June 19, 2012. Today as I make this post, I'm 8 weeks post surgery. I have been in the same splint since surgery...8 solid weeks, day and night. I have been in therapy since week one. My surgeon would not allow just anyone to do the therapy and I could not drive 3 hours twice a week so THEY found me a certified hand therapist that worked 2 days a week in a nearby town 30 minutes away. I have done nothing but regain mobility since surgery. Tomorrow I am supposed to be placed into a smaller splint and not required to sleep in a splint any longer. We are going to begin strengthening tomorrow.

So as of 8 weeks post surgery...I have most mobility back BUT I still have to get all my ligaments stretched back to normal which has been a very slow process. My Surgeon says after 12 weeks, he is not afraid that I can "undo" or damage anything they did in surgery so we will see. I had no choice but get the surgery or else...I would not be able to play golf again and that was NO OPTION...I love this game.I only wish we could have did the repair earlier...I've been out since March 13 and missed all summer thus far and I would have already been back "IF" this is successful and I feel confident that it will be....I do have a slight "clicking sound" in my wrist now but it's not painful at all. So until I hit a golf ball I really don't know...... 4 more weeks...Time will Tell!!!
[/quote]

Hey D_tective. My situation is very similar to yours because I went and got an MRI and from what they can see there are no major tears in the ECU sheath but my wrist was in a neutral position when they took the MRI. He said it might be a very small tear or that my wrist is not in a position that shows the torn sheath. He said it is still most likely that I have some kind of tear and that surgery is the only long term solution. One of my biggest hesitation right now is being in the full arm cast for 4-5 weeks and then 2-3 months of PT. I have a 4 month old and needless to say he is a handful. My doctor says that I shouldn't pick up anything larger then a soda can during that time. Also I travel a lot for work and having a full arm cast might make that difficult.

How was having the splint on for 8 weeks? Were you able to work on a computer or drive with the splint on? How was the pain after the procedure. What were the hardest adjustments in your life after the procedure? I think I might hold off the surgery for a few more months and wait for the holidays but for now when i do get to go out and play the wrist widget is working. I really don't feel any pain with it unless I'm hitting my 3 wood or hybrid. I don't know if it's because it's more of a sweeping motion but I don't get the pain with my irons or driver. Actually when I catch a 3 iron a little behind I can feel a twinge. Good luck with the rest of your PT and recovery.

D_tective · August 14, 2012

Hey Todai....First and foremost....Be careful with your Hand. It is very complex with so many moving bones, ligaments and nerves and they all work together. One wrong move and it could cause alot to go wrong. My orthopedist did knee surgery on my right knee 20 years ago and I recovered fine BUT he was even afraid to takle a hand. Go to a HAND SPECIALIST. You won't regret it.

My original Dr didn't see the sheath torn either but with the 2nd MRI performed by the hand specialist specifications in several positions ( and after I begged him)...he saw it. I was in a full 90* arm cast for only 8 days....stitched, wrapped and cast from surgery. That was the most difficult time especially bagging up for showers and keep in mind this was my dominate hand ( i know, very unusual) but as for pain, it wasn't too bad....with meds of course. I missed those 8 days from work simply because I could not take pain killers and be allowed to work. Stitches were removed day 14, first day of PT. ( scar is very minimal but my therapist says my Dr was an artist and his stitch techniques were excellent) I was placed in the splint with only 30* movement up and down after 8 days and it was custom fit. The splint was only about 2 to 3 inches below my elbow however it prevented any rotation. It was open a full inch gap all along the underside and was secured with Velcro. With you, The full arm cast scares me that they are talking about simply because a certified hand therapist knows how to make the proper splint to prevent any injury or rotation and it can come off for showers and getting dressed. I also want to say that 4 to 5 weeks in a locked elbow cast will be a nightmare to straighten out your arm. You will be amazed at how STIFF those ligaments and muscles will be...I was at 8 days. I almost passed out JUST FROM 8 DAYS...I KNOW i WOULD IF i HAD WENT THAT LONG.

As for work...Yes, using the computer has been easy other than an occasional typo from the splint hitting the key board. Not much pain at all. Only pain is from the top of my hand ( making a fist) and I know it's because the ligaments have been immobile for so long but that too is getting better each day....have to get those ligaments stretched back to normal. Driving with the splint has been easy...no problems there but a full locked arm cast would have been difficult and keep in mind, It's easy to "overwork" your good arm and that too can cause problems with it so be careful and rest the good one as much as you can.

Just really give it some thought about a hand specialist. I don't know where you live but I'm in Georgia. I'm sure they're is one near you somewhere. Trust me when I say my hand surgeon is as difficult as a human being as anyone I have ever met...PICKY is not even close to describing him and to some degree, I appreciate him for that BUT if he didn't have me in a full cast...I wonder why your DR wants you in one. That troubles me. Just be careful and don't let just anyone cut your hand. If he is just an orthopedic surgeon in general...don't let him do it. Go to someone who specializes in the hand. My Dr does hands and feet...nothing else period!! He's been hard to talk with but he is good at what he does. Let me know how things go and I will keep you posted on my "nightmare of 2012"

Oh yes, I almost forgot. My short and mid irons didn't hurt near as bad as my long irons and woods, especially my driver BUT I think that had a lot to do with timing. I "think" the reason is I was striking the ball (actual impact) slightly before my forearms rotated which made the pain less but when I had the ball more forward in my stance with long clubs, my arms were in full rotation causing the ligament to snap across the ulnar bone. Now that is my opinion, not a Dr's. My original orthopedist told me..."You are going to wish it was broken before this is over"....Now I know what he meant. Sorry my post was so long but I know what you are going through!!

alsponge · August 15, 2012

[quote name='aiyyer' timestamp='1339034377' post='5044528']
Hello,
I had surgery to remove tumors in my left palm that turned out to be benign. The surgery was six weeks ago, had some complications and just started physical therapy today. [b]Wow - surgery was the easy part, everything else has been hard.[/b]
Based on the range of motion I have now it may be fall before I can play again.
Be sure that you really need surgery.
Get the best surgeon possible.
Get a realistic recovery period from the surgeon
Understand that the fingers and wrist are complicated with nerves all over the place and recovery may take a little longer
Good luck and keep me posted.
[/quote]

COMPLETELY AGREE!!! Dealing with insurance is by far, the worse part.

Todai · December 5, 2012

[quote name='D_tective' timestamp='1345000091' post='5473916']
Hey Todai....First and foremost....Be careful with your Hand. It is very complex with so many moving bones, ligaments and nerves and they all work together. One wrong move and it could cause alot to go wrong. My orthopedist did knee surgery on my right knee 20 years ago and I recovered fine BUT he was even afraid to takle a hand. Go to a HAND SPECIALIST. You won't regret it.

My original Dr didn't see the sheath torn either but with the 2nd MRI performed by the hand specialist specifications in several positions ( and after I begged him)...he saw it. I was in a full 90* arm cast for only 8 days....stitched, wrapped and cast from surgery. That was the most difficult time especially bagging up for showers and keep in mind this was my dominate hand ( i know, very unusual) but as for pain, it wasn't too bad....with meds of course. I missed those 8 days from work simply because I could not take pain killers and be allowed to work. Stitches were removed day 14, first day of PT. ( scar is very minimal but my therapist says my Dr was an artist and his stitch techniques were excellent) I was placed in the splint with only 30* movement up and down after 8 days and it was custom fit. The splint was only about 2 to 3 inches below my elbow however it prevented any rotation. It was open a full inch gap all along the underside and was secured with Velcro. With you, The full arm cast scares me that they are talking about simply because a certified hand therapist knows how to make the proper splint to prevent any injury or rotation and it can come off for showers and getting dressed. I also want to say that 4 to 5 weeks in a locked elbow cast will be a nightmare to straighten out your arm. You will be amazed at how STIFF those ligaments and muscles will be...I was at 8 days. I almost passed out JUST FROM 8 DAYS...I KNOW i WOULD IF i HAD WENT THAT LONG.

As for work...Yes, using the computer has been easy other than an occasional typo from the splint hitting the key board. Not much pain at all. Only pain is from the top of my hand ( making a fist) and I know it's because the ligaments have been immobile for so long but that too is getting better each day....have to get those ligaments stretched back to normal. Driving with the splint has been easy...no problems there but a full locked arm cast would have been difficult and keep in mind, It's easy to "overwork" your good arm and that too can cause problems with it so be careful and rest the good one as much as you can.

Just really give it some thought about a hand specialist. I don't know where you live but I'm in Georgia. I'm sure they're is one near you somewhere. Trust me when I say my hand surgeon is as difficult as a human being as anyone I have ever met...PICKY is not even close to describing him and to some degree, I appreciate him for that BUT if he didn't have me in a full cast...I wonder why your DR wants you in one. That troubles me. Just be careful and don't let just anyone cut your hand. If he is just an orthopedic surgeon in general...don't let him do it. Go to someone who specializes in the hand. My Dr does hands and feet...nothing else period!! He's been hard to talk with but he is good at what he does. Let me know how things go and I will keep you posted on my "nightmare of 2012"

Oh yes, I almost forgot. My short and mid irons didn't hurt near as bad as my long irons and woods, especially my driver BUT I think that had a lot to do with timing. I "think" the reason is I was striking the ball (actual impact) slightly before my forearms rotated which made the pain less but when I had the ball more forward in my stance with long clubs, my arms were in full rotation causing the ligament to snap across the ulnar bone. Now that is my opinion, not a Dr's. My original orthopedist told me..."You are going to wish it was broken before this is over"....Now I know what he meant. Sorry my post was so long but I know what you are going through!!
[/quote]

Hey D_tective. I just wanted to give you a quick update on my surgery. The first doctor I went to was a hand specialist and was the one that did the MRI initially that didn't conclusively find a tear in the tendon sheath. His suggestion was to go in and see what the issue was and then repair which I did not like one bit. Before someone cuts me I want them to know for sure what they are going to be doing. So I decided to get a second opinion from another hand guy at UCLA who happens to be ranked pretty high nationally. I went to him hoping he would suggest another MRI before deciding to go in to repair the tendon sheath to make sure he knew what he was going to fix before he cut me open. I was fully ok at this point with a 3-4 month recovery time if he found the tear and wanted to repair it.

After talking to him and explaining my subluxing ECU he offered an alternative to ECU tedon sheath repair. He said that the sheath repair is the text book answer that the majority of hand surgeons would recommend but the problem with sheath repair is that you can possibly tighten it too much or not tighten it enough to fix the issue. Also the recovery time for that procedure is pretty long which is around 3-4 months with PT. His alternative was to lengthen the ECU tendon and not touch the sheath at all. This would allow the tendon more give so it would not snap over the bone and if it did it had enough slack that it would not hurt. I asked about negative side effects of lengthening the ECU and he said that the ECU does not do very much in the hand and it would not affect grip strength or any other hand motions. The only possible negative is some slight numbing sensation around the wrist. The best part about the procedure is that the recovery time is about 5 weeks and there is [b]NO CAST[/b] at all. After the procedure there is a bandage wrapped around the wrist that you keep on for 10 days. He takes the bandage off when you visit to get sutures removed. Needless to say I was on board with the procedure.

So I had the operation 5 weeks ago and went to the range for the first time yesterday since the surgery. I can say that the operation was a complete success! I was able to hit a large bucket and hit full shots without my wrist widget brace and without any pain. My forearm was a little sore afterward but that is probably more due to not hitting any balls for over 1.5 months. I think my recovery would have been even faster if my incision didn't get infected. After I got the sutures removed, the suture points got infected and I had to take some antibiotics but that was probably the only negative in the whole procedure. They gave me pain medication but I took it only on the day of the procedure after I got home but the very next day I was able to switch to regular tylenol. I am very happy with the entire procedure and glad I went for a second opinion. The first guy was suppose be a very good hand guy because he works with the LA sports teams (Kings, Clippers, Lakers) but he was a little younger and I don't think as experienced. The second guy, Dr. Roy Meals, was much older so I think he has seen a lot more. Even though I think a surgical resident actually performed the procedure, since UCLA is a teaching hospital, there is definitely something to be said for experience.

I hope that you have recovered well since your procedure and looking forward to a good start to 2013. I'm definitely excited for the new season. Happy holidays.

jfleming7 · June 19, 2016

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Fraank · June 14, 2023

On 12/5/2012 at 7:36 AM, Todai said:

[quote name='D_tective' timestamp='1345000091' post='5473916']
Hey Todai....First and foremost....Be careful with your Hand. It is very complex with so many moving bones, ligaments and nerves and they all work together. One wrong move and it could cause alot to go wrong. My orthopedist did knee surgery on my right knee 20 years ago and I recovered fine BUT he was even afraid to takle a hand. Go to a HAND SPECIALIST. You won't regret it.

My original Dr didn't see the sheath torn either but with the 2nd MRI performed by the hand specialist specifications in several positions ( and after I begged him)...he saw it. I was in a full 90* arm cast for only 8 days....stitched, wrapped and cast from surgery. That was the most difficult time especially bagging up for showers and keep in mind this was my dominate hand ( i know, very unusual) but as for pain, it wasn't too bad....with meds of course. I missed those 8 days from work simply because I could not take pain killers and be allowed to work. Stitches were removed day 14, first day of PT. ( scar is very minimal but my therapist says my Dr was an artist and his stitch techniques were excellent) I was placed in the splint with only 30* movement up and down after 8 days and it was custom fit. The splint was only about 2 to 3 inches below my elbow however it prevented any rotation. It was open a full inch gap all along the underside and was secured with Velcro. With you, The full arm cast scares me that they are talking about simply because a certified hand therapist knows how to make the proper splint to prevent any injury or rotation and it can come off for showers and getting dressed. I also want to say that 4 to 5 weeks in a locked elbow cast will be a nightmare to straighten out your arm. You will be amazed at how STIFF those ligaments and muscles will be...I was at 8 days. I almost passed out JUST FROM 8 DAYS...I KNOW i WOULD IF i HAD WENT THAT LONG.

As for work...Yes, using the computer has been easy other than an occasional typo from the splint hitting the key board. Not much pain at all. Only pain is from the top of my hand ( making a fist) and I know it's because the ligaments have been immobile for so long but that too is getting better each day....have to get those ligaments stretched back to normal. Driving with the splint has been easy...no problems there but a full locked arm cast would have been difficult and keep in mind, It's easy to "overwork" your good arm and that too can cause problems with it so be careful and rest the good one as much as you can.

Just really give it some thought about a hand specialist. I don't know where you live but I'm in Georgia. I'm sure they're is one near you somewhere. Trust me when I say my hand surgeon is as difficult as a human being as anyone I have ever met...PICKY is not even close to describing him and to some degree, I appreciate him for that BUT if he didn't have me in a full cast...I wonder why your DR wants you in one. That troubles me. Just be careful and don't let just anyone cut your hand. If he is just an orthopedic surgeon in general...don't let him do it. Go to someone who specializes in the hand. My Dr does hands and feet...nothing else period!! He's been hard to talk with but he is good at what he does. Let me know how things go and I will keep you posted on my "nightmare of 2012"

Oh yes, I almost forgot. My short and mid irons didn't hurt near as bad as my long irons and woods, especially my driver BUT I think that had a lot to do with timing. I "think" the reason is I was striking the ball (actual impact) slightly before my forearms rotated which made the pain less but when I had the ball more forward in my stance with long clubs, my arms were in full rotation causing the ligament to snap across the ulnar bone. Now that is my opinion, not a Dr's. My original orthopedist told me..."You are going to wish it was broken before this is over"....Now I know what he meant. Sorry my post was so long but I know what you are going through!!
[/quote]

Hey D_tective. I just wanted to give you a quick update on my surgery. The first doctor I went to was a hand specialist and was the one that did the MRI initially that didn't conclusively find a tear in the tendon sheath. His suggestion was to go in and see what the issue was and then repair which I did not like one bit. Before someone cuts me I want them to know for sure what they are going to be doing. So I decided to get a second opinion from another hand guy at UCLA who happens to be ranked pretty high nationally. I went to him hoping he would suggest another MRI before deciding to go in to repair the tendon sheath to make sure he knew what he was going to fix before he cut me open. I was fully ok at this point with a 3-4 month recovery time if he found the tear and wanted to repair it.

After talking to him and explaining my subluxing ECU he offered an alternative to ECU tedon sheath repair. He said that the sheath repair is the text book answer that the majority of hand surgeons would recommend but the problem with sheath repair is that you can possibly tighten it too much or not tighten it enough to fix the issue. Also the recovery time for that procedure is pretty long which is around 3-4 months with PT. His alternative was to lengthen the ECU tendon and not touch the sheath at all. This would allow the tendon more give so it would not snap over the bone and if it did it had enough slack that it would not hurt. I asked about negative side effects of lengthening the ECU and he said that the ECU does not do very much in the hand and it would not affect grip strength or any other hand motions. The only possible negative is some slight numbing sensation around the wrist. The best part about the procedure is that the recovery time is about 5 weeks and there is [b]NO CAST[/b] at all. After the procedure there is a bandage wrapped around the wrist that you keep on for 10 days. He takes the bandage off when you visit to get sutures removed. Needless to say I was on board with the procedure.

So I had the operation 5 weeks ago and went to the range for the first time yesterday since the surgery. I can say that the operation was a complete success! I was able to hit a large bucket and hit full shots without my wrist widget brace and without any pain. My forearm was a little sore afterward but that is probably more due to not hitting any balls for over 1.5 months. I think my recovery would have been even faster if my incision didn't get infected. After I got the sutures removed, the suture points got infected and I had to take some antibiotics but that was probably the only negative in the whole procedure. They gave me pain medication but I took it only on the day of the procedure after I got home but the very next day I was able to switch to regular tylenol. I am very happy with the entire procedure and glad I went for a second opinion. The first guy was suppose be a very good hand guy because he works with the LA sports teams (Kings, Clippers, Lakers) but he was a little younger and I don't think as experienced. The second guy, Dr. Roy Meals, was much older so I think he has seen a lot more. Even though I think a surgical resident actually performed the procedure, since UCLA is a teaching hospital, there is definitely something to be said for experience.

I hope that you have recovered well since your procedure and looking forward to a good start to 2013. I'm definitely excited for the new season. Happy holidays.

TODAI,

Doubt you will see this after all these years, but if you do, can you please let me know if you had any pain or anything years after the ECU lengthening surgery. I may have to get a surgery done because I've had a subluxing ECU tendon for 9 months. Still a little painful and annoying when it snaps over the ulna bone, and I really want to figure out how to fix it. Please reply, thank you so much!

Frank