#SB6: SURGERY SUCCEEDED BUT SUPERBIKE SESAON COMES TO A PREMATURE END
Stefan Bradl is forced also to miss the final two championship meetings in Spain and Qatar next month and early in November. After he underwent surgery successfully, he got prescribed absolutely rest for his wrist.
After extensive medical examinations in Augsburg, Stefan Bradl’s right wrist was diagnosed with an injury to the scapholunate ligament (SL) which holds the scaphoid and lunate bone together. In order to avoid long-term effects such as in the worst case a complete wrist stiffener, an operation was indispensable. Therefore, Bradl underwent surgery last Thursday at the Augsburg Clinic by Dr. Krischak under general anaesthesia. The procedure lasted about two hours. The specialist fixed the ligament at both ends with pins and a wire so that the healing process can start. Bradl’s right forearm now needs a seven-week rest before the Superbike rider can start with physiotherapy. On October 11th, a new investigation will be carried out to determine the exact date for the second operation in which the pins and the wire are removed.
The 27-year-old Honda rider sustained this complicated injury during a crash in race one in Portimao two weeks ago. Until then, however, Bradl experienced an upturn during the Portugal round following a very difficult season for him and his Red Bull World Superbike Team.
#6 Stefan BRADL (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team, Honda CBR1000RR SP2):
“Obviously it’s quite a difficult time for me, as it’s hard to come to terms with the fact that I won’t be able to race for the rest of the season. But I have to remain positive, though, and try to do everything needed to make sure that my hand and wrist are fully healed. Rest is now priority number one for the healing process. Luck hasn’t been on our side this year, but I couldn’t imagine that the consequences of my crash in Portimao were going to be so severe. The operation went well but the doctors had to cut through lots of webs which is very painful at the wrist and in addition, a second surgery is necessary. At this time, all implants are removed. It is to assume that everything is healing well. The ligament was demolished at the lunate bone whereas it was still hanging on the scaphoid though, there was still much to reconstruct which is important at all. A wire and a hook was inserted. The hook is attached to the lunate bone and will make sure that the ligament heals and everything comes together as it is being. Unfortunate, the healing process is very lengthy because the ligament has a length of 3 millimetres and a width of 1,5 millimetres. This to patch it requires a level of high art and calm hands by the doctor. Therefore, I would like to express my thanks to the doctors who has helped me a lot and also to all people who has worked with me this year: it was not an easy year, not only from a sports point of view, but also from the tragedy that shook us this spring. There is not much that I can do at the moment but I will follow the races on TV and support my team in this way.”