"Adam Vinatieri's availability for training camp is in question after he underwent surgery on his right hip earlier this week.

The Indianapolis Colts are confident, however, that their veteran place-kicker will be ready for the regular season.

Vinatieri, 36, opted for surgery to relieve discomfort in his right hip that had bothered him for more than a year. The procedure was performed in Vail, Colo., by Dr. Marc Phillipon , who recently operated on the hip of New York Yankees superstar Alex Rodriquez.

The prognosis is for Vinatieri to be ready for the Colts' Sept. 13 opener against Jacksonville.

"I don't have any reservations based on what Dr. Phillipon told me,'' team president Bill Polian said Friday afternoon. "He was right on A-Rod and that was a much more difficult situation. (There's) no reason he won't be right now.''

Along with alleviating the pain in Vinatieri's hip, the procedure was precautionary.

"Do it now,'' Polian said, "and not have it crop up at Thanksgiving.''

It marks the second time since Vinatieri signed a five-year, $12 million contract in 2006 that he's dealt with a significant medical situation. He missed the first three games of the '06 season -- the only games he's missed during his 13-year career -- after breaking a bone in his left foot during the preseason.

In three seasons with the Colts, Vinatieri has converted 68-of-82 field goal attempts in the regular season (82.9 percent), and missed just one of 17 attempts in the postseason. He's delivered four game-winning field goals, including two last season.

While Vinatieri mends -- and especially if he's likely to miss a portion of training camp -- the Colts might sign another kicker. The only player on the roster with place-kicking experience is seventh-round draft pick Pat McAfee.

"That's a question for later,'' Polian said."