Tennessee quarterback Jonathan Crompton underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies in his throwing elbow Monday in North Carolina .

Crompton, who threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's Orange and White Game, is expected to fully recover from Monday's minor procedure in about four to six weeks, his doctor said.

Dr. Richard Jones, of Southeastern Sports Medicine, removed two to three "loose bodies" in Crompton's throwing - right - elbow.

"His elbow looked great otherwise," Jones said. "It went really well. We didn't have any problems."

Crompton can begin throwing once he regains a full range of motion in the elbow, which is expected to take between two and four weeks.

"It just depends on how he's feeling," Jones said. "We've got a lot of time to work with before the official practices start and the workouts start. I'm comfortable with the timetable we have."

Crompton is expected back in Knoxville this week and Tennessee's training staff will handle his rehabilitation.

The four- to six-week timetable means Crompton should be able to participate in UT's offseason conditioning program as well as work with receivers in Knoxville over the summer.

Without the procedure, Crompton ran the risk of having continued pain in the elbow as well as the possibility of the joint locking up.

Monday's surgery took about 45 minutes, Jones said, and took place at Park Ridge Hospital in Hendersonville, N.C., near Crompton's hometown of Waynesville, N.C.

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.