There’s a Pandemic. Is This a Time for Tommy John Surgery?

With no season on the immediate horizon, Syndergaard agreed to have the elbow checked out, mainly for peace of mind. The initial diagnosis was said to have shocked him: a largely torn ulnar collateral ligament. A magnetic resonance imaging examination showed a full tear and some signs that it was chronic, suggesting it had been there for some time, even last season.

In some ways, the propriety of his surgery hinges on how to parse the term “elective.’’ The operation is clearly necessary for a pitcher to continue in top form, and delaying it now could jeopardize his 2021 season — and affect Syndergaard’s earning power in free agency after that season. But necessary does not always mean urgent.

“The argument is: ‘Well, this needs to be a go because even though sports is suspended at the moment, this is a person’s livelihood and when things are up and running, it throws off all sorts of schedules, like rehab time,’” said Lee H. Igel, clinical associate professor at New York University’s Tisch Institute for Global Sport. “It’s an understandable argument, but it’s a no-go, because what we’re dealing with now in the world, it’s not a question of people’s livelihoods, it’s people’s lives, and there’s a big difference there. The scene out there in hospitals and clinics, it’s severe. It’s just not the time for Tommy John surgeries.”

Igel, who also has an associate appointment in the medical ethics division at the N.Y.U. Langone School of Medicine, said complicated surgeries like elbow reconstruction could conceivably use medical supplies, personnel and space that should be kept available for more urgent needs.

“We don’t think of a young athlete having complications during surgery, but things happen that could cause somebody to go into an intensive care unit,” Igel said. “The space is just not there, the supplies are just not there. Some of the professionals might be there, but it’s just not the right time for it.”

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso defended Syndergaard on Twitter in response to a Sports Illustrated article about the issue.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/sports/baseball/coronavirus-tommy-john-surgery.html