Tarik Skubal’s Surgeon Reveals Use of New Technology in Procedure for Tigers Ace
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The Detroit Tigers got a brutal update early last week when it was revealed that their superstar ace Tarik Skubal was going to have to undergo surgery for loose bodies in his pitching elbow.
Since the initial news broke and fans panicked that his season was over already, most of the updates surrounding Skubal have actually been positive and his timeline looks a little bit more optimistic for getting back on the mound.
While he still has a long road of recovery ahead, the 2-3 month estimate initially given could be much shorter, and now that Skubal is almost a week removed from surgery, fans got a glimpse into why that may be the case.
In an article from Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, renowned surgeron Dr. Neal ElAttrache -- who has performed operations on some of the most high profile athletes ever -- spoke about a device called the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0 and talked about why it could accelerate Skubal's recovery.
ElAttrache Used New Type of Scope on Skubal's Arm
"I showed them the scope and showed them where I would be able to go, and if we were using the standard size scope, the differences I would have to do," ElAttrache said on his meeting with Skubal and Scott Boras. "They saw that it would be much safer, number one, and it would cause a lot less invasion. When you see it and you show them where you’re going to go, they get it immediately. It’s very obvious what to do."
Interestingly, while the less invasive nature of the NanoNeedle for clearing out the elbow seemingly made it not much of a decision, ElAttrache did reveal that Skubal is the first high profile athlete to use it during surgery.
While he made clear the technology has been around since 2019 and this was not any sort of experimental procedure, Skubal is a little bit of a test case in that if it actually does cut down on his recovery time, more will use it in the future.
Tigers Would Love to Get Skubal Back Sooner
Detroit was floundering in the standings even before the southpaw was placed on the injured list, which is why it was so devastating to learn of his injury for a team who entered the year with legitimate World Series hopes.
Should Skubal be able to return before the calendar turns to July and without a long ramp up to get back into shape, it could provide a massive boost to them if they're able to keep their heads above water until then.
It's still obviously a long absence for the repeat American League Cy Young winner, but if he is able to cut a month off the initial timeline like many seem to believe he could, the Tigers getting hot this summer and making a run at the division and a third straight playoff appearance is very much in the cards.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.