Philadelphia-based neurosurgeon Jon Yoon, MD, performed a disc replacement on Joel Farabee of the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers, the team said June 24.
Dr. Yoon replaced a cervical disc, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported June 24. Mr. Farabee, 22, is expected to recover in three to four months and could be available by the start of the 2022-23 season.
The procedure is only the fourth disc replacement performed on an active NHL player. They have all been performed within the last seven months.
Robert Bray Jr., MD, who performed the second disc replacement on an active NHL player, told Becker's in April that the NHL has effectively set a precedent for high-contact professional athletes to be considered for the procedure.