Golf legend Tiger Woods is now at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after undergoing surgery at Harbor UCLA hospital following a car accident in Rancho Palos Verdes on Tuesday.
Woods, 45, was transferred from Harbor-UCLA Medical Center to Cedars to continue his treatment after emergency surgery to repair an exposed fracture in his leg and a broken ankle suffered in the accident.
Dr. Anish Mahajan, medical director and interim executive director at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, described Woods’ condition:
“Sir. Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to the right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center. Comminuted open fractures affecting the upper and lower portions of the bones of the tibia and fibula were stabilized by inserting a stem into the tibia.
“Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft tissue of the leg required surgical release of the muscle cover to relieve pressure due to swelling. “
The tibia and fibula are the two bones of the leg, and a comminuted fracture refers to a bone being broken into several fragments, as opposed to a clean fracture. The tibia is the tibia that you can feel under the skin. If the wounds have trouble healing, doctors can use skin grafts or transfer muscle from other parts of the body to cover that bone.
The term “open” means that the bone has broken the skin. These injuries are at risk of infection, experts say.
The rollover accident, in which Woods had to be removed from the windshield, was “purely an accident” and no criminal charges will be filed against Woods, said Los Angeles County sheriff Alex Villanueva.
Woods’ SUV “black box” will provide investigators with information on how fast he was driving when he lost control just after 7 am Tuesday, Villanueva said. The sheriff said there was no evidence that Woods was injured when he fell and therefore no likely cause to test his blood alcohol or do a drug test at the hospital.
The road where the accident occurred is known for its steep slope and winding curves that can lead to high speeds when going down a hill.
Villanueva had previously said that the vehicle was traveling at “relatively higher than normal speed” down Hawthorne Boulevard, near Blackhorse Road, when it crossed the central partition, hit a tree and then overturned, stopping about 30 meters in a hillside.
Woods was already recovering from his fifth back surgery when he took the wheel Tuesday morning. By the time he was removed from the vehicle, he was so stunned that he did not realize the extent of his injuries.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Sheriff Carlos Gonzalez was the first to arrive at the scene of the accident.
“Sir. Woods was not able to keep himself under his power,” said Gonzalez. Woods had to be tied to a table before the emergency team put him in an ambulance for the trauma unit in Harbor-UCLA.
“I spoke to him,” said Gonzalez. “I asked him what his name was. He told me his name was Tiger and, at that moment, I immediately recognized him. “
Although Tuesday’s wreck was the third time Woods was involved in a high-profile vehicle accident, it was by far the most serious. The first two further damaged his reputation; this could end his career.
In 2009, when he backed his Cadillac SUV out of his garage in a gated community in Florida, he hit a fire hydrant and hit a neighbor’s tree. Eight years later, he was arrested in Jupiter, Florida, after police found him sleeping at the wheel of his car. Woods said later that the incident was caused by an “unexpected reaction to prescription drugs”.
The PGA star was in Los Angeles to host the Genesis Invitational at the Riviera Country Club, a golf tournament that ended on Sunday. Woods did not play at the event because he was recovering from back surgery, but told CBS announcer Jim Nantz in an interview during the final round that he hoped to play the Masters in April.
“God, I hope so. I have to get there first, ”said Woods in the interview. “A lot of this is based on my surgeons, doctors and therapist and making sure I do everything correctly. This is the only lap I have; I don’t have much more room for maneuver left. “
Woods stayed in Los Angeles County after the Genesis Invitational to participate in a two-day shoot with Golf Digest / GolfTV. On Monday, a smiling Woods spent time with retired NBA star Dwyane Wade and comedian David Spade – both documented the meeting on social media – at the Rolling Hills Country Club.
Woods, who was staying at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, was on his way to the Rolling Hills Country Club, about 20 minutes away, to film when the accident occurred.