Here are five things to know:
1. Mr. Shazier suffered the spinal injury Dec. 4 during a game in Cincinnati. He was airlifted to Pittsburgh Dec. 6.
2. The Steelers’ team physicians David Okonkwo, MD, and Joseph Maroon, MD, performed the spinal stabilization surgery. Drs. Okonkwo and Maroon are also neurosurgeons at UPMC.
3. Anthony Alessi, MD, a neurologist and consultant with the NFL Player’s Association, told ESPN the outlook for Mr. Shazier’s return-to-play isn’t favorable. Dr. Alessi commented the linebacker might not ever be able to return to football.
4. Dr. Okonkwo is the clinical director of University of Pittsburgh’s Brain Trauma Research Center. He completed his neurosurgery fellowship at Auckland Public Hospital.
5. Dr. Maroon completed his fellowship at Vermont College of Medicine in Burlington. He is a clinical professor and Heindl Scholar in neuroscience at University of Pittsburgh.
More articles on sports medicine:
Steelers’ linebacker Ryan Shazier visits University of Cincinnati Medical Center over spine injury: 4 things to know
Drs. Neal ElAttrache, James Andrews & more: 11 orthopedic surgeons treating professional athletes
Cavaliers’ Derrick Rose returns to Cleveland Clinic for rehabilitation: 4 takeaways
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