INDYCAR

 
Doctors put pieces of titanium on the spine of Wickens

The statement that Indy released on Tuesday morning (21) raises a worrying point about the state of Robert Wickens. The first surgery, performed Monday night at Lehigh Valley Hospital, may have been satisfactory, but it is understood that it is still not possible to say what the consequences will be to the spinal cord of the Canadian after the very strong accident in the 500 Miles of Pocono of last Sunday."Robert Wickens underwent surgery last Monday at the Lehigh Valley Hospital - Cedar Crest to have a fractured spine stabilized along with a spinal cord injury he suffered during last Sunday's race, in Pocono, "he said."Titanium rods and screws were successfully placed in the spinal cord of Wickens during surgery, which was done without complications. The severity of the spinal cord injury remains undetermined. Wickens must go through other surgeries to treat fractures in his lower limbs and right arm. He is in stable condition, "he continued.
Wickens had fractures in both legs, in the right arm, in the spine and a pulmonary contusion. Late Sunday night, Schmidt Peterson and Indy issued a slightly more detailed statement about Wickens' situation. Without detailing the extent of the injuries, they listed a number of problems caused by the accident.
"Schmidt Peterson driver Robert Wickens is being treated for leg, right arm and spine injuries after the Pocono 500 crash. The driver also suffered a lung injury and will undergo imaging and probably surgery in the Lehigh Valley Medical Hospital, "the statement said.
The first update was made nearly an hour after the crash and through communications vice president Curt Cavin when Indy disclosed that Wickens was "conscious and awake" when he was flown by helicopter to Lehigh Valley Medical Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Hunter-Reay was released after a quick check in the medical center, while two other pilots who were involved in the crash, James Hinchcliffe and Pietro Fittipaldi, also underwent a medical evaluation. The Brazilian had ankle pain that fractured earlier this year.
Wickens struck shortly after the green flag was fired with Hunter-Reay, who squeezed him pretty much to grass. The American just went to the wall, but the Canadian took off, broke the guardrail and returned hard to the wall and then to the lane.
The crash still involved three other cars, two of them also hitting hard. Takuma Sato went to the wall, but James Hinchcliffe rolled to try to escape the confusion and took a strong blow from Pietro Fittipaldi. The Brazilian came out of the car well, but the Canadian had pain in his arm.
The accident happened at 3:24 pm (in Brasilia) and no information was passed by the Pocono Oval Medical Center. More than 40 minutes later, at 16:08, Wickens was removed by conscious and agreed helicopter. Initial health information came just after the race, with Indy reporting that Robert had injured bonés.



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