Jay Leno to undergo second surgery for 'pretty significant' burns to face, hands, chest
Jay Leno has undergone surgery after a gasoline accident resulted in burns to his face and hands – and another procedure is planned.
The former "Tonight Show" host suffered serious burns over the weekend when flames erupted as he worked on one of his vintage cars. The comedian remains hospitalized for further treatment, the physician overseeing his care said.
Dr. Peter Grossman, the medical director of the Grossman Burn Center, gave updates on Leno's condition during a Wednesday press conference.
Leno is "so appreciative of the outpouring of concern for him" and "doing well," Grossman said adding that the comedian's accident occurred Saturday while he was working underneath a car at the Burbank garage where Leno stores his famed car collection. When Leno was pulled from under the car, he had "pretty significant burns" to his face, hands and chest.
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In a Monday statement, Leno referred to the burns as “serious” but said he would need only “a week or two to get back on my feet.”
Grossman said he appreciated Leno’s eagerness but has cautioned him to be realistic.
“He’s very compliant, he understands that. I think he’s realizing that he does need to perhaps take it a little slower than he initially anticipated," Grossman said.
Jay Leno sustained 'concerning' burns to face, doctor says
Grossman said Leno's "burns are fairly significant, and they are a concern of which we have to take care of and make sure that he heals appropriately." Leno underwent a surgical excision and grafting procedure and will need another procedure later this week.
"Our hope is that, when everything is all said and done, he will do well, but burn injuries are progressive and dynamic, and it's hard to predict ultimately what the final outcome will be at this stage in the game," Grossman said.
Despite his condition, Leno has been "a remarkably kind and engaging resident," Grossman added, revealing the comedian passed out cookies to children in the burn unit earlier that day.
Leno is continuing to undergo hyperbaric oxygen therapy to minimize the progression of his burns, Grossman said. According to Mayo Clinic, this form of therapy involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized environment.
Leno's initial burns were a mixture of "deep second degree burns and possibly some third degree burns," the doctor added.
Though Grossman anticipates Leno making a full recovery, he said that "some of the burns to the face are a little bit deeper and a little bit more concerning."
"Whether there'll be remnants of his injury, it's still way too early to tell," he added.
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Aimee Bennett, the director of strategic communications at the West Hills Hospital & Medical Center in Los Angeles, said in a statement to USA TODAY Monday that the comedian "wants everyone to know that he is in stable condition" at Grossman Burn Center following the accident.
"He is in good humor and is touched by all the inquiries into his condition and well wishes," Bennett continued. "He wants to let everyone know he is doing well and is in 'the best burn center in the United States.' "
Leno was expected to perform at The Financial Brand's 2022 forum in Las Vegas over the weekend, but his appearance was canceled after the incident according to People.
Jay Leno's past health struggles
Leno has been open about his health challenges in the past, speaking with USA TODAY in 2019 about managing his high cholesterol, which he was diagnosed with over two decades ago.
Leno said he urges people to seek out qualified physicians rather than taking advice from "your idiot friend down the street who says, 'oh, my uncle had that.' "
"Go to a doctor, and find out what (medicine) you should take and maybe augment that with laughter," Leno said. "Laughter (alone) is a terrible medicine, it doesn't do anything. It's amusing and fun, but as a medicine it just sucks."
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Leno hosted "The Tonight Show" from 1992 to 2014. In fall 2021, he began presiding over a nationally syndicated revival of "You Bet Your Life," the comedy game show made famous more than a half-century ago by legendary comedian Groucho Marx.
“I’m thrilled to be hosting the latest version of ‘You Bet Your Life,’" Leno said in a statement in September 2020. "One of my favorite things to do is talk to regular people and draw humor out of them. This is a comedy show wrapped in a game show that allows me to do just that.”
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Contributing: Bill Keveney and Dalvin Brown, USA TODAY; The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jay Leno to undergo 2nd surgery for 'pretty significant' burns to face
