Headlines
As reported by The Hartford Courant, June 24, 2008.
Shoulder Surgery a Success for Schilling
By Jeff Goldberg
BOSTON — Curt Schilling had surgery on his right shoulder Monday in Wilmington, Del., and while it came too late to save his 2008 season, it renewed optimism Schilling could return to the mound in 2009.
The two-hour surgery, performed by Dr. Craig Morgan with assistance from Dr. Gus Mazzocca of UConn, repaired the biceps tendon, labrum and rotator cuff in Schilling's right shoulder. Morgan also operated on Schilling's shoulder in 1995.
"It went very well," Mazzocca said. "Remember, Dr. Morgan knows his shoulder well. That's a huge advantage, having someone who has performed surgery on the shoulder before. He knew what he was looking for. Overall, I think you can say it was a success. I think we were very happy with the way things went."
Schilling, 41, could resume a throwing program in as little as four months, increasing the chances of a 2009 comeback. Schilling said he could envision himself being a late-season "hired gun" for a contending team.
"I would say we usually wait and see," Mazzocca said. "I think Dr. Morgan's protocol usually calls for four months, but that's a wait and see. That's evaluated on a week-by-week basis.
"The rotator cuff tear was minor. Dr. Morgan fixed it to prevent it from getting worse. But it wasn't serious. The biceps part, I think, he'll recover from quickly. The thing that will dictate to him when he comes back and throws is that labrum and the rotator cuff."
The biceps procedure, originally created by Mazzocca, was what Morgan recommended to the Red Sox before spring training. But he was overruled by the team, which favored a rest and rehab approach. Morgan was outspoken in February about the likelihood of the Red Sox's plan failing.
Morgan was proven correct last week, when Schilling's comeback attempt was scuttled after he began experiencing discomfort throwing in the bullpen two weeks ago. Schilling announced Friday he would have the surgery originally suggested by Morgan, now with the Red Sox's blessing.
"What we found was what we expected," Mazzocca said. "The biceps tendon was definitely diseased with degeneration in the tendons. He had a little bit of a small rotator cuff tear that we fixed with one suture. The biggest things were the labrum repair and the biceps-tenodesis surgery, and that's exactly what Dr. Morgan thought was going on."