Amare out four months
Suns star has microfracture procedure on left knee
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Oct. 11, 2005

The Suns received devastating news this morning regarding their All-Star big man.

Suns star Amaré Stoudemire’s arthroscopic surgery evolved into a microfracture procedure on his left knee this morning, according to his manager.

Team physician and orthopedic surgeon Thomas Carter found Stoudemire’s cartilage damage to be more severe than anticipated. Stoudermire’s manager, Rodney Rice, said the power forward is expected be out for four months because of the surgery.

“It was better to do the microfracture now instead of chancing that the lesion would grow, which might affect Amaré down the road,” said Rice, who was in the room during this morning’s scope. “It was best to do the procedure now.”

Suns fans remember how microfracture surgery greatly changed the game of Penny Hardaway but Rice said Stoudemire should not be as adversely affected because he is having the operation at a younger age and at a time when the lesion is smaller. During a microfracture, holes are drilled into the bone. The cells then come up with the blood through the holes and form into cartilage.

“He’s got a lot of things in his favor to come back in a strong way,” Rice said