Surgery

Orioles outfielder Nolan Reimold underwent successful surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital Monday morning to remove a herniated disk that was placing pressure on a nerve in his neck, the team announced.  The procedure, called a discectomy , was performed locally by neurosurgeon Dr. Ziya Gokaslan, a nationally renowned spine specialist. Reimold said Friday the surgery was similar to the one Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had last year. Doctors hope the surgery can alleviate the tingling Reimold felt in his left arm, which caused him to be out of action since April 30. Reimold previously received two epidural injections, which calmed the swelling in the disk and gradually took away the pain, but there were still recurrent spots of tingling in his arm and he had trouble regaining strength in it. Reimold now is resting comforably, the team said.

D.C. United goalkeeper Josh Wicks underwent successful surgey on his right knee, the team announced. Wicks, who had shoulder surgery on Oct. 29, is not expected to miss more than the original four to six months. He recorded five shutouts and posted a 1.4 goals against average on the year.

Injured Orioles left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada is still holding out hope for better news, but one of the team's top offseason acquisitions might need Tommy John surgery to repair his left elbow, he told reporters through his interpreter before Thursday's game. Wada has already seen Orioles team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens but is planning to fly to Los Angeles this weekend to see Dr. Lewis Yocum for a second opinion on his elbow. Yocum knows Wada well. He performed his physical before the Orioles signed Wada to a two-year, $8.14 million contract and also removed chips from his elbow in 2007.

Johns Hopkins University President Ronald J. Daniels will return to work full-time next week after two months of recuperation from surgery to remove a tumor from his abdomen. It was not malignant and Daniels, 50, did not have to undergo follow-up therapy after his October surgery. A seven-hour surgery to remove part of Daniels' pancreas, called a Whipple procedure, was deemed a success at the time, and his recovery took about as long as expected. Daniels, who became the university's 14th president in March, worked part-time in December.

Howard County executive Ken Ulman was recuperating at home Monday after surgery Friday to cauterize an artery in his nose that ruptured, causing a massive nosebleed, according to Kevin Enright, his spokesman. The 35-year old executive had scheduled this week off before the incident, his second attempt to take a break since a February family vacation was canceled due to the heavy snowstorms. Enright said Ulman returned home Saturday, after two nights at Howard County General Hospital.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman was recuperating from outpatient back surgery performed Wednesday at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore to remove a protruding portion of a disc that has been causing him pain for nearly a year. Kevin Enright, Ulman's spokesman, said the surgery was successful, and the 35-year-old executive was able to walk the same day. County government is closed this week, with unpaid furloughs, and Ulman was not planning to be out of action long, according to Enright.

Orioles have made official what we all expected for more than a week now. Lefty Tsuyoshi Wada will have season-ending, Tommy John surgery on May 11 in Los Angeles. “I am very disappointed," Wada said. "I will work hard for the rehab and try to recover to be as strong as I can to help the team win. I appreciate the support from the  Orioles through this process.”  Dr. Lewis Yocum, who took bone spurs out of the Japanese lefty's elbow in 2007, will perform the surgery.

After talking to former Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden about the turf toe injury that contributed to the future Hall of Famer's retiring after the 2007 season, left guard Ben Grubbs was understandably concerned about the strained ligaments in a toe on his right foot that had shelved him for six consecutive games. Grubbs, who had undergone surgery on the same ankle twice in the past three years, eagerly sought a medical opinion from renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews. “We wanted to make sure that [surgery]

After undergoing surgery to repair varicose veins in his legs, Matt Birk said he feels optimistic that his legs won't be a hindrance for him during the upcoming season. “I feel better,” the Ravens starting center said Tuesday, after the team's opening day of training camp . “[The doctors] say it'll help me feel better during the season. My leg won't get as fatigued. So it's a good thing.” Birk was among the limited group of players (quarterbacks, rookies and injured veterans)

Nolan Reimold met with doctors again Tuesday afternoon to discuss his options on alleviating his neck and back problems. But nothing was determined by early Tuesday evening. One possibility, manager Buck Showalter conceded Tuesday, would be surgery, which would surely end the left fielder's season. “I don't want to throw dirt over Nolan right now. Let's let this thing run its course. I've gotten some positives, some best-case scenario ideas, too. I don't think we're ready to go there yet,” Showalter said.