University of North Carolina Athletics
Spoon Undergoes Successful Surgery
September 16, 1999 | Football
Sept. 16, 1999
University of North Carolina linebacker Brandon Spoon underwent successful surgery Thursday morning to repair a torn biceps tendon in his left arm, an injury that will sideline him for the remainder of the 1999 season.
Dr. Tim Taft, Director of Sports Medicine and Carolina's chief orthopaedic surgeon, performed the procedure Thursday at UNC Hospitals. Taft said he re-attached the tendon to the radius and put Spoon in a splint for the next 10 days. Taft said the injury usually requires three to four months to heal, but a person would not be allowed to return to physical activity such as playing football for approximately six months.
Spoon had 138 tackles and earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors at linebacker in 1998. He was the leading returning tackler in the ACC this year, a preseason All-America candidate and Butkus Award candidate as the nation's top linebacker.
Spoon had two tackles for losses against Virginia in the season opener on September 4th, but tore his left biceps tendon on the seventh defensive snap against Indiana on September 11th. He played two more snaps before leaving the game for what he believed at the time was a cramp in his left arm.
Dr. Taft also said senior offensive tackle Kareem Ellis was "probable" for the Florida State game on September 25th. Ellis fractured the tip of his right middle finger and tore the flexor tendon on that finger in the opening moments of the game at Indiana. Ellis had surgery, which included putting a screw in his finger, on September 12th.
Carolina is not in action this weekend. The Tar Heels will practice Thursday afternoon at 5 p.m., then take the next three days off before returning to practice on September 20th.
