SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Spurs center David Robinson underwent surgery Saturday morning to repair a torn tendon near his left thumb and will be unavailable for six weeks -- the rest of the regular season and first two weeks of the NBA playoffs.
The operation, performed by San Antonio hand surgeon David Green, became necessary after the 7-foot center aggravated the injury he originally sustained March 16 in a game against the Charlotte Hornets.
'I am very pleased with the way the operation turned out,' said Dr. Green. 'There were no surprises. The operation was a success and there was no doubt that David needed to have this operation done.'
Green said Robinson was allowed to go home after he was fitted with a cast on his left arm. The cast will remain in place four weeks, then he will be fitted with a full splint so rehabilitation can begin. Green expects about two weeks of rehabilitation will be in order before Robinson can resume playing with a protective splint.
He was fitted with a cast and played in the next three games but Monday he was hit in the hand playing against the Philadelphia 76ers. Robinson sat out Wednesday's contest against the Hornets, missing his first game as a pro after 232 consecutive appearances.
Robinson tried to treatment with daily therapy. However, when he was re-injured and the injured area could no longer be immobilized by a playing cast, team doctors from the Spurs, Hornets and Miami Heat recommended surgery.
'Continued popping in-and-out of the thumb joint would have destroyed the cartilage ... and that would have led to a much more serious injury,' Green said.
Robinson, 7-foot-1, is among the league leaders in several categories. He ends his season with averages of 23.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, 4.52 blocked shots and 2.3 steals a game.
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Spurs trail the Utah Jazz by four games for the lead in the Midwest Division of the Western Conference.