Jeremy Renner's body being held together by titanium plates and screws after snow-plow accident
RENO, NEVADA: Jeremy Renner's body is reportedly being held together by several screws and plates after he sustained almost-fatal injuries in the snow-plow accident at the beginning of 2023. The 'Hawkeye' actor fractured 30 bones in the accident.
While trying to save his nephew from getting crushed by a rolling Snowcat on New Year's Day, Renner, 52, fell under the 14,000-lb vehicle's metal tracks and sustained traumatic chest injuries. His wounds included a perforated liver and a collapsed lung in addition to a broken collarbone, broken jaw and shattered right knee, per the Daily Mail.
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Jeremy Renner had flail chest
Titanium plates were inserted in his ribcage to protect his lungs. A titanium rod was placed in Renner's left shin to hold it together. Due to the blunt chest trauma, his eight ribs were shattered into 14 pieces, resulting in a condition known as "flail chest," which is characterized by three or more ribs fractured in at least two locations.
Instead of the chest retaining its normal shape, a flail chest causes a portion of the rib cage to become dislocated from the chest wall. The actor's lungs most likely collapsed due to the shattered bones that pierced his liver. Chest flail is often accompanied by significant lung damage. It is a serious condition that, in up to 25% of instances, can be life-threatening. Surgery is often necessary to confirm that there is no underlying lung damage.
A form of scaffolding, which will remain in Renner's body for the rest of his life, was constructed by the medical team to replace his broken rib cage. Screwes are used to fasten the metal plates, often made of titanium or stainless steel.
Renner has sustained eight broken ribs along with damaged bones in his face, jaw, mandible, right knee, right shoulder, left tibia, left ankle and right clavicle. Surgeons inserted a piece of titanium mesh, around two square centimeters in size and secured by screws, when treating an orbital bone fracture or a damaged eye socket to aid in the healing of the bones.
Where did Jeremy Renner's accident happen?
The accident happened near the Mt Rose Highway in Reno, Nevada while Renner was trying to assist others with the snow. Around 9 am, the Washoe County Sheriff's office arrived on the scene, and he was immediately taken to the hospital.
In a statement to PEOPLE the next day, a spokesperson of the actor said, "We can confirm that Jeremy has suffered blunt chest trauma and orthopedic injuries and has undergone surgery today, January 2nd 2023. He has returned from surgery and remains in the intensive care unit in critical but stable condition."
Since then, the actor has been receiving care from his family while he recovers from the accident. Two days after the event, Renner uploaded a photo of himself dressed for the hospital with the caption, "Thank you all for your kind words. Im too messed up now to type. But I send love to you all."