Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Roadracing World’s Chris Ulrich underwent surgery at Loma Linda Medical Center in Loma Linda, California today, in an effort to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome.

Ulrich has been plagued with shoulder and arm problems since he separated his right shoulder during a press intro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway two years ago. A year ago he underwent surgery to implant a donor tendon and several Kevlar straps in the shoulder, but has had continuing problems with his arm losing strength and going numb when he rides and races motorcycles.

Dr. Jeffrey Ballard, a vascular surgeon, determined that the blood flow to Ulrich’s right arm was being restricted when he tucked in, due to an artery being pinched between muscles and the upper rib, and that the pulse in Ulrich’s right wrist disappeared when he assumed a riding position. The surgery relieved the pressure causing the arterial pinching, by removing the rib, two muscles and a mass of scar tissue.

The surgery took several hours, and Ulrich will remain hospitalized through mid-week.