Jay Leno Undergoes Surgery, Burn Center Doctor Gives Health Update

Jay Leno’s doctor spoke at a press conference on Wednesday, giving a promising update on the comedian’s health. Dr. Peter Grossman said that he has now performed one surgery on Leno, and he anticipates doing at least one more, according to a report by PEOPLE. Grossman said that Leno’s injuries are serious, but that his condition is good in consideration of that.

Leno suffered serious burns to his face, hands and chest on Saturday while working in his garage in Burbank, California. He was rushed to Grossman Burn Center where a specialty burn ward is equipped to handle emergencies like this. There. Dr. Grossman said that he has been recovering well – all things considered. Grossman summed Leno’s condition up by saying: “I’d say that his injuries are serious, his condition is good.“

Grossman explained that he performed a surgical excision and grafting procedure on Leno, and he said that the burns had damaged several layers of skin. This procedure is a process of removing unhealthy tissue and placing a biological skin substitute over it in order to expedite healing. Grossman could only speculate about how effective this treatment would be.

“Some of the burns to the face are a little deeper and a little more concerning,” he told reporters. “Currently, there’s no evidence of nerve damage. I do anticipate him making a full recovery. Whether they’ll be remnants of this injury, it’s still too early to tell.”

Grossman also pointed out that Leno’s medical team has been “very aggressive” with hyperbaric oxygen treatment – a regimen that can “accelerate burn wound healing by increasing oxygen supply to injured areas and reducing swelling, which is helpful in maintaining healthy blood flow.” As for Leno himself, Grossman said that he is “in good spirits today” thanks to the surgery and that another surgery will likely come later this week.

Leno himself has only said a few words to the public since his accident. In a statement released on Monday, he said: “I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire. I am ok. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”

Leno is well known for his love of classic cars, and has even parlayed that hobby into his career in recent years. It’s unclear what this incident might mean for Jay Leno’s Garage on CNBC. The comedian has canceled all of his public appearances for the next two weeks at least.