Britney Spears [ tickets ] underwent arthroscopic surgery in New Orleans, LA on Wednesday (3/3) to remove a piece of torn cartilage suffered when Spears twisted her knee while rehearsing dance moves for the video to her next single, Sometimes. The injury has forced Spears to pull out of plans for a number of promotional engagements set up to support her massively popular album and single, ...Baby One More Time.

The surgery was performed by Tim Finney, chief doctor for the NFL's New Orleans Saints.

The 17-year-old pop sensation has dominated the pop album chart in the seven weeks since her debut album hit store shelves, including a three-week stay in the #1 slot which was interrupted this week by first-week sales for TLC's Fan Mail and rapper Eminem's debut, a post-Grammy surge for Lauryn Hill's 27-week-old solo debut and first-week sales for The Roots' Things Fall Apart.

In light of her injury, Spears' scheduled appearances on MTV's Spring Break, the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Live with Regis and Kathie Lee have all been bumped.

The video for Sometimes will resume production following a planned four week recuperation following Spears' surgery.