Sophia Michaels
Jay Leno underwent his first surgery, a skin grafting procedure, after suffering serious burns in an accident involving a gasoline fire over the weekend.
During a press conference Wednesday, Leno’s doctor, Peter Grossman, said the comedian “did well” after his first procedure and is in “good spirits” (via Fox 11 in Los Angeles). Still, Leno’s burns were serious enough that Grossman said he will need to “undergo further treatment,” as well as an additional procedure later this week.
“Our hope is that when everything is said and done, he will do well,” Grossman said. “But burn injuries are progressive and dynamic and it’s hard to predict ultimately what the final outcome will be at this stage in the game.”
Grossman offered some additional details about Leno’s procedure, explaining that he underwent a surgical excision and grafting procedure to his face, chest, and hands. That involves cleaning and removing the unhealthy tissue and then placing a “biological skin substitute over the wounds in order to expedite healing.” That skin substitute will eventually be removed, at which point Leno’s wounds will be reevaluated, and the doctors will decide what needs to be done during Leno’s second procedure.
Despite the severity of his injuries, and the intense treatment he’s receiving, Leno has reportedly been a model patient during his hospital stay. At one point, Grossman said he was passing out cookies to children in the burn ward and later added, “He’s walking around and cracking jokes. He’s incredibly kind to our nursing staff. He’s very appreciative of everybody here and really an ideal patient.”
Leno reportedly suffered burns while working in his garage after one of his cars unexpectedly burst into flames. In a statement following the accident, he said, “I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”
