PUEBLO, Colo. (August 5, 2008) - Two days after being admitted to the hospital following a devastating wreck, 21-year-old Brian Canter could be returning home to North Carolina to begin the recovery process.
Canter was injured Sunday evening in the fourth and final round of the PBR Team Shootout in Paso Robles, Calif.
Canter, who scored an 88.5 on Hummer, was dismounting when he went off the backside and was kicked in the back of head. The impact left a 6 to 7-inch gash on the back of his head, and the impact with the ground broke his jaw.
After a 30-minute long delay in which paramedics stabilized his neck and back as a precaution, Canter was transported to a local hospital where doctors stapled shut the gash and used stitches to close several other smaller lacerations before transferring him to another location – Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center – in nearby San Luis Obispo.
“The PBR is like a family,” said PBR CEO Randy Bernard, “and as we would with any family member, we made sure Brian got the best care available to him, and the staff at Sierra Vista are world-renowned.
“It was a very tense time in the moments after the wreck. You never want to see someone go down like that, but thankfully it looks like he’s going to be all right. We wish him the best and look forward to his return.”
Following several tests which showed no further injuries to his neck or spinal cord, skull fractures, or swelling of the brain, the fourth-year veteran underwent surgery in which doctors reset the broken bones, inserted a plate, and wired his jaw shut for what is expected to be a six to eight-week period.
Canter, who is currently ranked 20th in the world, is out of competition indefinitely and will consult with PBR orthopedic surgeon Dr. Tandy Freeman as to a course of action involving rehab and an expected return date.
The injury, as serious as it is, could have been worse.
While it was initially unclear the extent to which Canter was hurt, there was an immediate sense of relief when he was able to communicate with medical personnel using hand signals to answer basic questions.
Before being stabilized on a board, he wanted to stand up and walk out of the arena on his own.
In past years, several riders have indeed returned to competition with jaws still wired shut. However, it is unknown how the injury to his head will affect his return.
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