Lindsey Vonn Nearly Lost Leg After Winter Olympics Crash
Lindsey Vonn has revealed that she almost lost her leg following a severe crash during the Winter Olympics. The American skiing legend, aged 41, expressed gratitude to the surgeon who prevented an amputation after she sustained serious injuries in the women's downhill event held in Italy on 8 February.
Since the accident, Vonn has undergone multiple surgeries to address the damage caused by the crash. In an Instagram video posted on Monday, she paid tribute to her surgeon and described the injury as the most extreme, painful, and challenging of her career.
"Dr Tom Hackett saved my leg - he saved it from being amputated," Vonn said.
"He cut open both sides of my leg, so it was open and let it breathe so to speak. He saved me."
Vonn explained that her leg was "in pieces" and that she developed compartment syndrome, a condition characterized by increased pressure within a muscle compartment that restricts blood flow. To alleviate this, the surgeon performed a fasciotomy, an emergency procedure to relieve the pressure.
Recovery and Current Condition
After four operations in Italy, Vonn returned to the United States last week. She has since been discharged from the hospital and relocated to a hotel, which she described as a "huge step" in her recovery process.
She noted that she will remain in a wheelchair for some time due to the severity of her injuries, which include both a broken leg and a broken ankle.
Details of the Accident
Vonn was competing in the downhill event at the Cortina Winter Olympics just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee. The crash occurred 13 seconds into her run when she struck a gate.
Following the accident, she was airlifted from the piste and diagnosed with a complex tibia fracture in her left leg.
Medical Procedures and Outlook
Upon returning to the United States, Vonn underwent a six-hour reconstructive surgery on Wednesday. She also required a blood transfusion due to low hemoglobin levels caused by blood loss and multiple surgeries.
"I turned a corner, and now I am out. It's going to be a long road, I'm in a wheelchair right now, very much immobile. I hope I can be on crutches in a little bit, but we'll see and be on them for at least two months."
Vonn indicated that the healing process for her bones could take up to a year. Following this period, she plans to decide whether to remove the metal implants and then proceed with surgery to repair her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
"Then I will decide if I want to take out all the metal or not, and then go back into surgery and finally fix my ACL [anterior cruciate ligament]."
