Estrella Galicia Honda’s Tito Rabat has undergone successful wrist and knee surgery in Barcelona folllowing a heavy crash during MotoGP testing at Sepang but it is not known yet for how long he will be out of action.
The surgery was performed by doctors Xavier Mir and Ignacio Ginebreda and included:
- Surgical cleaning and closing of a severe laceration and skin loss on the left knee. A scan showed that the quadricipital tendon was damaged but not broken.
- Insertion of screws to stabilise a distal fracture of the radius in the right hand.
- Insertion of a plate and screws to stabilise a small fracture to the fifth metacarpal in the right hand.
- Immobilisation of the right foot due to a fracture to the distal phalanx.
The treatment will be evaluated in 48 hours and Rabat will remain in hospital for intravenous antibiotic treatment to combat infection for the next four days. On Monday the former Moto2 World Champion will undergo a further full examination by doctors, after which a rehabilitation program will be decided upon.
"The good news is that the surgery Tito had last night was successful. Obviously the bad news is the extent of the injuries he sustained in the Sepang crash. The knee injury is the biggest issue because it was an open wound and the risk of infection is high, hence the need for him to stay in hospital over the weekend,” said team boss Michael Bartholemy.
“On Monday, after a further assessment by doctors, we will have a clearer understanding of how long his rehabilitation will take and a realistic idea about a possible date for his return to action. We know Tito and he's probably checking flights for the Phillip Island test from his hospital bed already, but he needs to be realistic too. It makes no sense for him to return until he's fit enough for the physical demands that racing a MotoGP bike places on a rider."
