Snow Undergoes Successful Left Thumb Surgery

Snow

Dr. Lee Osterman of the Philadelphia Hand Center performed the operation with 76ers team physician Dr. Jack McPhilemy assisting. A plate, two pins and five screws were inserted into Snow's left thumb during the operation that lasted two hours and 15 minutes.

"The surgery went very well," McPhilemy said. "It was a very difficult injury, but everything turned out fine."

The injury was sustained in the second quarter of the preseason game at San Antonio on Tuesday, Oct. 16, and was initially X-rayed and evaluated by San Antonio Spurs orthopedic specialist Dr. David Schmidt. Dr. David P. Green of the San Antonio Hand Center examined Snow on Wednesday, Oct. 17, and surgery was delayed until swelling in the injured thumb subsided. Snow was re-evaluated by McPhilemy in Philadelphia on Saturday, Oct. 20.

Snow was playing in his first contest since Game 5 of the 2000-01 NBA Finals. He had been rehabbing his right ankle from offseason surgery on June 19. Snow started at San Antonio and played 18 minutes, scoring seven points before the injury occurred.

The 6-3 guard missed 32 games of the 2000-01 regular season after the discovery of an initial fracture in his right ankle. He had surgery on Dec. 12 and returned to the lineup on Feb. 13. In 50 regular season contests, Snow averaged 9.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 34.8 minutes per game.

A new fracture in his right ankle was confirmed prior to Game 5 (May 30) of the Eastern Conference Finals against Milwaukee, but did not keep Snow from competing. He averaged 9.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg and 4.5 apg in 31.2 min, playing in all 23 Playoff games, starting nine contests. He had surgery on June 19 to repair the second fracture.