Frank Jobe, MD, developer of Tommy John shoulder surgery, died March 6 in Santa Monica, Calif., at the age of 88, according to a report from The New York Times.
Dr. Jobe was best known for his innovative shoulder surgery technique, which he first performed in polio patients to increase joint mobility, according to the report. He first performed the surgery in a sports context on Brooklyn Dodger Tommy John in 1974 to repair what would have otherwise been a career-ending surgery for the pitcher. The technique has since been used to save many professional pitching careers.
Dr. Jobe was co-founder of the Southwestern Orthopedic Medical Group (Los Angeles) with Robert Kerlan, MD, in 1965. The clinic was renamed the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in 1985. Dr. Jobe was also a professor of orthopedics at the University of Southern California School of Medicine (Los Angeles) and founder and medical director of the Centinela Hospital Medical Center (Los Angeles) Biomechanics Laboratory, according to the report.
He is survived by his wife, four sons and eight grandchildren.
More Articles on Orthopedic Sports Medicine:
Reid Orthopedic Center to Open March 7
6 Orthopedic Surgeons Treating Professional Athletes
AAOS Names 10 Surgeons to the Leadership Fellowship Program