Dunfermline boss John Hughes is hopeful Dom Thomas could undergo surgery within the next 48 hours.
However, even the worst-case scenario will see the Pars talisman go under the knife by the start of next week.
Thomas, 25, was diagnosed with a tear to the meniscus cartilage in his knee earlier this month and will require a ‘tidy-up’ operation.
Hughes readily admits that the winger — with three goals in his last eight appearances — has been sorely missed in winless outings against Hamilton and Queen of the South.
And the club are desperate for the procedure to take place swiftly so the former Kilmarnock wide-man can begin his recovery in earnest.
“If there are any cancellations then Dom will go in for his operation in the next day or two,” Hughes said.
“Otherwise it will either be the end of this week or the beginning of next week.
“We are hoping it isn’t too long because we are missing him.
“If we can get Dom back in good time, then we’ve got Kai [Kennedy] over the other side, and we can get higher up the pitch.”
Hughes added: “We want to get to the stage where other teams are worried about us, especially at East End Park.
“We want to take the game to them and get at them. But we are long way from that — that’s work in progress.”
