Cricket sensation, Sachin Tendulkar, underwent hand surgery at Sinai Hospital's Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A., on Tuesday, April 29, 2003. Sinai Hospital's orthopedic surgeons Dror Paley, M.D., and Steven Friedman, M.D., both of whom specialize in delicate hand reconstruction, performed surgery on the athlete's left hand to repair a sports injury the athlete suffered in 2002.

"The surgery went very well," said Paley, director of the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics. "We were able to reattach the volar interosseous muscle tendon of the ring finger and remove calcium deposits from the collateral ligament of the same finger."

The procedure took place on Tuesday morning, April 29, and lasted one hour under regional anesthesia. After, Mr. Tendulkar was transferred to the post-surgical unit for recovery. He was discharged later the same day from Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.

During the next three months, the ligament and tendon will heal and progressive physical therapy will be part of Mr. Tendulkar's daily routine. The therapy will involve range of motion and strengthening exercises. Therapy will continue after the athlete leaves the United States under the supervision of Anant Joshi, M.D., Tendulkar's orthopedic surgeon in India.

According to India's news media, Tendulkar felt pain in his left hand during the tour of New Zealand in late 2002. X-rays show that the star cricket player suffered a torn ligament and tendon to his ring finger that is affecting the finger joint.

With India not scheduled to play Test Cricket until the home series against the Kiwis in October 2003, Tendulkar will have enough time to recover after his surgery. He chose to keep out of the ongoing three-nation tournament in Bangladesh.

Sinai Hospital of Baltimore has the fastest growing orthopedic program in the state of Maryland. The hospital's Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics is a premier center for complex bone and joint issues attracting patients from all 50 states and over 43 countries.

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