Lindsey Vonn posted a health update Monday, saying she was finally out of the hospital but that she nearly lost her shattered leg to amputation.
Vonn said the extensive fractures to her lower leg, which she described as "a complex tibia fracture, also fractured my fibular head, my tibular plateau, just kind of everything was in pieces," resulted in compartment syndrome — a swelling of the soft tissue and nerves that can result in those tissue dying, requiring amputation. She thanked Dr. Tom Hackett for saving her leg by performing a fasciotomy, a delicate surgical procedure that cuts open the skin surrounding the distressed tissue to relieve the pressure until it can be addressed medically.
Vonn posted an X-ray, showing three plates and at least 20 screws in her fractured tibia.
My take: The things they can do surgically are crazy. The X-ray shows the hardware, but one can also see the fractures. When Vonn says "pieces," she's not kidding. A miracle if she's be able to walk normally again. Best to her.
THE ASYLUM
Vonn nearly lost leg
Lindsey Vonn posted a health update Monday, saying she was finally out of the hospital but that she nearly lost her shattered leg to amputation.
Vonn said the extensive fractures to her lower leg, which she described as "a complex tibia fracture, also fractured my fibular head, my tibular plateau, just kind of everything was in pieces," resulted in compartment syndrome — a swelling of the soft tissue and nerves that can result in those tissue dying, requiring amputation. She thanked Dr. Tom Hackett for saving her leg by performing a fasciotomy, a delicate surgical procedure that cuts open the skin surrounding the distressed tissue to relieve the pressure until it can be addressed medically.
Vonn posted an X-ray, showing three plates and at least 20 screws in her fractured tibia.
My take: The things they can do surgically are crazy. The X-ray shows the hardware, but one can also see the fractures. When Vonn says "pieces," she's not kidding. A miracle if she's be able to walk normally again. Best to her.
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