Knicks’ Gallinari Has Successful Surgery

The New York Times—April 7, 2009

The back surgery performed on Danilo Gallinari on Tuesday is a low-risk procedure that should have no long-term consequences for the Knicks rookie.

The Knicks announced Tuesday morning that Gallinari had successful surgery, with a full recovery expected in six to eight weeks. During the procedure, known as a laminotomy, doctors shaved down a bony plate that was irritating a nearby nerve.

Gallinari, the sixth pick in the 2008 draft, is considered the Knicks’ most promising prospect in two decades, so his health is of paramount concern to the franchise. Dr. Patrick O’Leary of Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan performed the surgery.

Team officials believe Gallinari’s back problems stem from a bulging disc, presumably caused by a collision with Robert Traylor in a summer league game in July. Although the disc later receded, the pain persisted, causing Gallinari to miss training camp. He played briefly in the first two games of the season, then missed the next two months while undergoing a rigorous rehabilitation program.

Gallinari rejoined the rotation in mid-January, but he was never more than 60 to 70 percent healthy, by his own estimates. He decided to shut himself down in mid-March and began contemplating surgery.

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