Jay Leno Got Surgery For The Second And Third-Degree Burns He Sustained In A Gasoline Fire

Earlier this week, we learned that Jay Leno sustained serious burns when one of the cars he was working on in his garage burst into flames. Jay put out a statement saying that he was OK and just needed “a week or two” to get back on his feet. Now we have another update on his health; People reports that Jay’s doctor, Dr. Peter Grossman of the Grossman Burn Center, held a press conference today and revealed that 72-year-old Jay had to get surgery for second and third-degree burns to his face, chest, and hand. Dr. Grossman says that, yes, Jay’s burns are serious, but he is in good condition and expected to make a full recovery. That’s good news, Doc, but what about Jay’s iconic chin? WE NEED AN UPDATE ON THE CHIN!!!!

The incident went down on Saturday, when Jay was working on a steam engine underneath a car in his garage. Suddenly, a gasoline fire broke out, and the car burst into flames. Jay was pulled from underneath the car, but suffered significant burns. Scary. Dr. Grossman says that Jay underwent a surgical excision and skin grafting procedure to the affected areas, noting that a lot of the thickness of Jay’s skin was injured. During surgery, the doctor removes unhealthy tissue and places a biological skin substitute on the wounds to expedite healing. via People:

Additionally, Grossman said they have been “very aggressive” with Leno’s hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The facility’s website states that the treatment can “accelerate burn wound healing by increasing oxygen supply to injured areas and reducing swelling, which is helpful in maintaining healthy blood flow.”

“Some of the burns to the face are a little deeper and a little more concerning,” Grossman said during the press conference.

Dr. Grossman says that Jay is in “good spirits today,” and he’ll need another procedure later in the week:

“Currently, there’s no evidence of nerve damage. I do anticipate him making a full recovery. Whether they’ll be remnants of this injury, it’s still too early to tell,” Grossman said. “I’d say that his injuries are serious, his condition is good.”

He added that Jay’s wife of 42 years, Mavis Leno, is “obviously very concerned”, and is sticking by her husband’s side. Dr. Grossman also gave Jay an A+ for his attitude:

“He’s been a remarkable kind and engaging patient,” continued the surgeon. “He passed out cookies to children in the burn unit. Mr. Leno has been very open about sharing information with you.”

Grossman noted, “He’s Jay Leno — he’s walking around and cracking jokes. He’s incredibly kind to our nursing staff. He’s very compliant. He’s very appreciative of everyone here and really an ideal patient and one who understands the seriousness of his injury.”

Burns are no joke! Hopefully Jay gets better soon so he can go back to tinkering with his cars and denying rumors that he ruined Conan O’Brien’s life on purpose.

Pic: Michael Simon/startraksphoto.com