Surgery on Yao's left foot "successful", say Rockets

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming cheers on his team from the bench after picking up two early first half fouls against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 1 of their NBA Western Conference semi-final playoff game in Los Angeles May 4, 2009.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Chinese center Yao Ming underwent successful surgery to repair the left foot fracture that has ruled him out for the whole of the next NBA season, the Houston Rockets said on Tuesday.

The operation at the Memorial Hermann Sports Medicine Institute also included additional procedures to "change the alignment of his foot" and prevent the injury recurring, said a report on the team's website (www.nba.com/rockets).

The seven-times All Star has been blighted by injuries in recent years, the latest of which -- described by team doctor Tom Clanton as "career threatening" -- occurred during the Western Conference semi-finals against the LA Lakers on May 8.

"Everything went according to plan and we were able achieve not only fixation of the broken bone but also realignment of the bones to improve the stress pattern on his foot," Clanton told the website.

"Yao is doing well and resting comfortably after these procedures. We expect him to be immobilized in a cast and using crutches for at least 6-8 weeks."

The Rockets said last week that the 28-year-old Yao, who averaged 19.7 points per game and 9.9 rebounds last season, would sit out the entire 2009/10 season to allow his full recuperation.

The 7ft 6in (2.286m) Shanghainese is China's most popular sportsman and topped the most recent Forbes China list of entertainers with an estimated income of 357 million yuan ($52.27 million).

Yao had been scheduled to take part in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders camp for young Asian players in Beijing next week but was absent from the list of participants issued by NBA China on Tuesday.

(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Beijing; editing by Peter Rutherford)