Emergency surgery for Ballan - Spleen removal & punctured lung!

[tombeej]

so essentially its god-given EPO? hotdamn, tell the UCI to give that man his medals back..

 

Maybe a better analogy is that the spleen is a god-given IV bag (built-in blood doping system).

 

I've read about people who've had their spleen removed and still (after a long recovery) gone on to do a bunch of iron man events, etc. But that doesn't mean to say they're doing it super fast at the pointy end of the field.

So again, for a world-class pro cyclist, losing his spleen probably has more serious consequences for his career than the average joe.

[TNT1]

Oh, ****! It gets worse. I feel so bad for Ballan. He's never going to race at this level again. Hell, he's never going to be the same person again.

 

Guy's don't take life for granted.

 

Alessandro Ballan may be facing the loss of one of his kidneys, after losing his spleen and fracturing his femur and three ribs in a training camp crash. The BMC rider had surgery on the femur Friday, his second operation within 24 hours. His spleen was removed in emergency surgery shortly after the crash.

Ballan has been kept sedated Thursday night, but doctors expected to gradually return him to consciousness today if there were no further complications. The surgery on his left femur occurred Friday evening.

One of the complications which may arise concerns his left kidney, which took a blow in the crash. “We did not give permission for him to be moved to another hospital because of that,” doctor Kiko Llacer told Gazzetta. “Currently the internal bleeding has stopped and we are optimistic. But any further problems would lead to a decision to remove the kidney, which we want to and believe can be avoided, as in this case it would mean that his career is in danger.”

Keeping him unconscious is standard procedure after abdominal surgery, Llacer said. “This practice is also used to prevent the patient from suffering severe pain. Moreover, in the case of an emergency, it is better to have the patient already stabilized. If, as we think, there will be no complications, Alessandro can go home in a week.”

His wife Daniela has been the only one allowed to visit him. She flew from Bergamo to Valencia at dawn on Friday -- “the longest night of my life. I could not even close one eye. Her husband called her before the first surgery “to tell me not to worry.”

After the second surgery, when she had seen him, she said, “the worst is over. Alessandro is strong, has a great temperament, and they are hopeful.”

Gazzetta also reported on details of how the crash happened, saying that Ballan was reaching down for his water bottle when the teammate immediately in font of him slowed down. Ballan was unable to stop, and still in the saddle, flew into the mountainside at a speed of 50-55 km/h. It is believed that the handlebars impacted with his spleen. He never lost consciousness and in fact walked to the ambulance.

[Cav']

Eish

['Dale]

Yoh!

How things can change in a split second.

 

All the best, former World Champ.

[Cippo]

Geez, hoping he just recovers, nevermind his career.

[An3]

I've been living without a spleen and one kidney for 12 years.

My Immune system is almost none-existent.

[Cippo]

I've been living without a spleen and one kidney for 12 years.

My Immune system is almost none-existent.

 

Hoping it gets easier for you.

['Dale]

I've been living without a spleen and one kidney for 12 years.

My Immune system is almost none-existent.

 

Eish!

[TNT1]

Alessandro Ballan continues to make progress in his recovery from serious injuries suffered in a crash last week at the BMC Racing Team training camp and is expected to be released from hospital and return to Italy in the new year.

The Italian's first race of the 2013 season should have been the Tour Down Under, January 20-27. His place on the squad to ride in Australia will be taken by Ivan Santaromita.

Ballan crashed on Thursday, December 20, suffering a broken left femur, broken rib and damaged spleen. His spleen was removed in emergency surgery that same day, and had surgery on the femur the next day.

He left the intensive care unit on Friday. "Every day I am getting better," he said in a team press release. "Now it's easy."

Ballan thanked his fans for the many messages and encouragement he has received.

"I am very happy because I have a lot of supporters, not only in Italy, but around the world. A lot of people are thinking of me in this moment and I am very happy and appreciative of all of them," he said.

Whilst the former World champion is improving, he still has a long way to go. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Ballan will not be able to train seriously for three months.

“The doctors who are overseeing his care at the hospital saw enough improvement that he's been moved to a regular care room," team doctor Max Testa said. "What's good is that he continues to get better each day and there have been no complications from the surgeries."

[TNT1]

BMC rider to return home after training crash

Alessandro Ballan is set to be released from hospital in Spain in the coming days although it remains unclear as to when the former world champion will be able to return to racing.

Ballan suffered a double fracture of his left femur in a crash on the final day of BMC’s pre-Christmas training camp, and he also had to undergo emergency surgery to remove his spleen. The Italian has been in hospital in Denia since December 20.

"Once Alessandro is back in Italy, we'll make sure everything went well during the flight. Depending on the outcome of that evaluation, we can determine the next step in his rehabilitation,” said BMC chief medical officer Dr. Max Testa.

Ballan spent a week in intensive care before being moved to a normal hospital ward. BMC are already resigned to being without Ballan for the spring classics, although general manager Jim Ochowicz expressed his hope that the 33-year-old would be back in action as soon as possible.

“We are extremely pleased at the rapid progress that Alessandro has accomplished while under the excellent care of the Hospital Dénia Marina Salud," Ochowicz said. "We look forward to having him back in the races in the coming months."

Ballan himself admitted that he is simply looking forward to returning to his home in the Veneto, given that he has been away since the beginning of the BMC camp in December.

“Training camp started in mid-December and then I couldn't be home and together with my entire family for the holidays,” he said. “So I'm very appreciative of the support from Dr. (Dario) Spinelli and the BMC Racing Team and the medical care I received here in Spain. Plus, all the messages of encouragement have given me more strength every day."

['Dale]

Great news.

 

Wonder whether he'll be up to racing at the highest level again.

['Dale]

“I am very happy to be in my own bed,” Ballan said. “I want to thank my fans and my team for all the support.”

 

Ballan seemed relieved to return home after his nasty fall while descending a narrow mountain road along Spain’s Mediterranean coast.

 

The 2008 world champion left the hospital Thursday and arrived in northern Italy on Friday. Ballan will continue recovery and rehab at home, yet it remains unknown when he will return to the sport.

 

Ballan is all but sure to miss this year’s spring classics campaign and could be sidelined for much of the 2013 season.

 

 

From velonews

[TNT1]

Wonder whether he'll be up to racing at the highest level again.

 

Honestly, I doubt it.

['Dale]

 

 

Honestly, I doubt it.

 

Yeah...

:-(

[TNT1]

Yeah...

:-(

 

Yeah, It's a tragedy. The guy is a real talent.

 

Don't take any moment for granted yeah?

[tombeej]

Ballan returns!

 

Ballan lines-up at GP du canton d'Argovie after horrific crash.

 

The 33-year-old is racing this Thursday without pressure to perform and has already outlined his objective is simply to finish the race.

 

"I feel good and have been living and training at altitude for 12 days, so my sensations are good. But I don't know how I will do in the races because of the changes of pace. My goal is simply to finish. I also want to thank all the people who have been close to me in this period, particularly my family, my friends and the team," said Ballan in a team statement.

 

Even if he doesn't ever return to his previous best, big kudos to his determination to get back on the bike and at least start taking part in the odd race.

 

Article here