Whole hip substitute for Eddy Merckx ‘went very easily’ after Monday crash

A day after he suffered a damaged thigh Falling on his bikeEddy Merckx underwent profitable surgical procedure at AZ St.-Elisabeth Herentals Hospital in Belgium on Tuesday, with medical workers saying a “full restoration is predicted.”

In keeping with a report from Herenthals Hospital, medical doctors carried out a complete hip substitute for a displaced Merckx fracture in the best hip, which they known as a “widespread fracture.” Merckx He’ll stay underneath medical supervision for a minimum of one evening earlier than beginning rehabilitation on Wednesday.

Merckx responded to a number of Belgian media shops from its hospital room, saying: Sporza“I really feel a lot better than yesterday. In the mean time I really feel a bit ache in my thigh.”

In dialog with HLN.com After the operation, the 70-year-old added some humor to his evaluation of his situation: “They gave me a brand new hip. The ache isn't too unhealthy in the meanwhile. Yesterday was horrible, nevertheless it's been higher since then.” surgical procedure.

“It was a silly fall. Nevertheless it might actually occur to anybody. Nevertheless, subsequent time I'll journey on two wheels for coaching.”

On Monday, Merckx was using his bike on the Bankstraat in Homebeek, on the western aspect of Mechelen, when his rear wheel skidded and he hit the bottom arduous. He mentioned he didn’t know the reason for the accident. Passers-by rushed to assist him and referred to as an ambulance.

He admitted: “I fell on my thigh and couldn't rise up. I used to be alone on the bike. Fortuitously there have been a couple of pedestrians left. In any other case it might have been a catastrophe. I used to be scared, sure.” HLN.comSaying that he was first transferred to a medical facility in Mechelen, then transferred to Herenthals the place he sought remedy from Dr. Stephen Claes.

The full hip substitute was carried out on Tuesday by Dr. Claes and Dr. Mike Tengrotenhuysen at AZ Herentals.

A press release from the hospital revealed it mentioned: “The operation went very easily and a full restoration is predicted. Eddy Merckx will now stay within the hospital for a minimum of one evening to get better from the process.” HLN.com.

“Tomorrow his rehabilitation will start, the place full help can be attainable instantly, which signifies that most sufferers are again on their ft shortly. Full restoration normally takes a couple of months, however fortuitously for Eddy Merckx, biking is a superb rehabilitation exercise and is permitted after Only a few weeks.”

Together with biking as a part of the restoration course of shouldn't be a troublesome recipe for Merckx, who is taken into account one of the profitable skilled cyclists of all time. The Belgian nice has 11 Grand Tour victories – the Tour de France 5 occasions, the Giro d'Italia 5 occasions, and the Vuelta a España as soon as. He additionally received all 5 Memorial Classics and captured three World Highway Championships earlier than retiring in 1978.

Dr. Steven Claes is identical orthopedic surgeon who repaired Remco Evenepoel's damaged collarbone in April, which he suffered in a airplane crash within the Basque nation of Itzulia. He additionally assessed Wout van Aert's knee damage following his Visma-Lease a Bike crash from the Vuelta a España in September, with no surgical procedure required in that case.

It was his brother, Dr. Tom Claes, who surgically repaired Van Aert's collarbone after his accident in April at Dwars Door Vlaanderen.