How serious are Jay Leno's burn injuries? Comedian seen bandaged as he treats burns in hyperbaric chamber
Warning: This article contains a recollection of a graphic incident and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian Jay Leno, 72, was seen inside a hyperbaric chamber while undergoing treatment after he sustained third-degree burns from his 1907 steam engine car that erupted into flames without a warning on Saturday, November 12. The 72-year-old is currently out of danger and in a video he could be seen in a blue hospital gown with a bandaged head, hands, and arms.
He is also appearing to be active with his gestures since the near-death incident. The 'Jay Leno's Garage' host, who is also known to be a passionate vehicle collector, was repairing his 1907 white steam car in his home garage in Burbank, California, when it caught fire. Leno was repairing a blocked fuel line when the petrol leaked and gasoline splattered on his face. He suffered severe burns on the left side of his face, hands, and chest. Fortunately, his eyes and ears were not damaged. Since then Leno has undergone surgery and skin grafts and will soon be undergoing another surgical procedure later this week.
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(Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
Leno is in good condition and is in the hyperbaric chamber to help with swelling and prevent bacterial infections said Dr Peter H Grossman with the Grossman Burn Center in Los Angeles. "It helps decrease swelling, it helps increase blood flow with good oxygenation and it helps decrease bacteria." Grossman told Inside Edition, "He's had grafts that are not his own, meaning the skin we have from a skin bank or a donor, that's what we initially do at the first stage." As to Leno's well-being, Grossman said, the comedian is in "good spirits" and says he is up and walking around and even cracking jokes, reported the source.
(Inside Edition video screengrab)
Leno even handed out cookies to children being treated at the Southern California hospital on Wednesday morning, November 16, the doctor said. Talking about the lasting effects of Leno's injuries, Grossman said, "his scars will be visible for the foreseeable future. Our hope [is that] it ultimately will be minimally visible or maybe not at all." Grossman also anticipates Leno making a "full recovery" from his injuries, despite how serious they are. "As I'm getting to know Jay, I don't think it's going to be months," he said. "I think he's the kind of guy who's gonna move forward." Moreover, the doctor did not mention why Leno needed a second surgery and whether or not it was a success.