Héctor Barberá has been successfully operated on in Barcelona

Rider Héctor Barberá has already undergone surgery for his tibia and fibula injury; specifically, he was placed in the hands of Dr. Xavier Mir in Barcelona, where the procedure has already been completed successfully. The complicated part now is the recovery and rehabilitation phase, which is expected to last around 4-6 weeks, but since riders are made of a different mettle, we cannot give exact dates.

Barberá’s injury was a case of bad luck while training to prepare for this week’s round at Laguna Seca. The Valencian rider crashed and fractured his tibia and fibula, which rules him out of the American leg of MotoGP, and we will see whether he can be back for Brno.

Within a week he will be able to begin functional rehabilitation, following the surgery he underwent yesterday in the Catalan capital, at the USP Dexeus University Institute. The operation addressed a bimalleolar fracture of the left ankle (fracture of the tibia and fibula at ankle level), with bone fixation using a hook plate at the level of the fibula and cannulated screws at the level of the tibia.

He will now have to remain admitted for a few more hours under observation, and then begin the recovery period in an attempt to return to his Ducati as soon as possible. In principle he could make a comeback at the Brno Circuit, although it is not wise to force the machine. The Pramac Racing team will also have to decide how to handle the American rounds, whether by calling up their reserve rider, Kenny Noyes, or taking another course of action.

Statement from Dr. Xavier Mir:

The operation went well. We are confident that Héctor can leave the hospital within 48 hours and begin light physical activity in seven days,” Dr. Mir said after the procedure. It is difficult to say how much rehabilitation time he will need. We have to evaluate the patient’s progress, but I believe it is reasonable to think he could be able to race within 4 or 6 weeks, depending on his response.

Statement from Héctor Barberá – Pramac Racing:

Dr. Mir and Dr. Jimeno have done a great job. I feel good, I’m still a little dizzy from the anaesthesia, but that’s normal. Obviously I’m disappointed by the incident. It happened at the worst possible moment. I’ve been having a great `feeling´ with my bike and my team. In the last three races I was able to enjoy riding and fighting with the factory riders to achieve the best possible result. I could have achieved other brilliant results in the upcoming rounds, at Laguna Seca and Indianapolis, but that’s life, and now I have to focus only on my injury and my rehabilitation.

Source | MotoGP Official Website