Full-endoscopic decompression for thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum in professional pitchers: surgical technique, outcomes, and return to sport. Illustrative cases
Seung Hoon Lee, Seung Jin Choi, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Phil Bohlen, Roshini Ramkumar, Joonho Byun, Chang Hwa Ham, Eun-Sang Kim, Joo Han Kim, Woo-Keun Kwon · 2026
Read Full-endoscopic decompression for thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum in professional pitchers: surgical technique, outcomes, and return to sport. Illustrative cases by Seung Hoon Lee, Seung Jin Choi, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Phil Bohlen, Roshini Ramkumar, Joonho Byun, Chang Hwa Ham, Eun-Sang Kim, Joo Han Kim, Woo-Keun Kwon (2026) in the Tower of Babel, a free online library of public-domain works preserved in clean, searchable text. No sign-up. The full text is served as a plain-text file at a predictable URL, where text is present: https://antarctic-labs.com/tower-of-babel/pmc-13576442.txt.
Description
Seung Hoon Lee and co-authors report keyhole spine surgery that returned two pro pitchers to the mound in a 2026 paper. A ligament in the mid-back can harden into bone and squeeze the spinal cord, a condition that is especially cruel for pitchers, whose trade demands a supple, powerful spine. Open surgery frees the cord but wrecks supporting muscle.
Their full-endoscopic approach thins the bony lesion to a shell, then lifts it on a side hinge so the cord is never pressed head-on. When nerve monitoring flickered, they staged the work for safety. Both patients recovered strongly and pitched professionally within six months, with no loss of spinal stability. The authors propose the method as a first-line option for high-demand athletes.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Seung Hoon Lee, Seung Jin Choi, Christoph P. Hofstetter, Phil Bohlen, Roshini Ramkumar, Joonho Byun, Chang Hwa Ham, Eun-Sang Kim, Joo Han Kim, Woo-Keun Kwon |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 29 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |