Mike Iaconelli underwent a surgical procedure on his right leg on Monday at a hospital in Huntsville, Ala. to drain blood that had pooled up in his right calf after he'd torn the muscle at the Sabine River Bassmaster Elite Series 3 weeks ago.
The injury occurred when he'd jumped from his boat onto a rocky shoreline to work on his prop. He'd been in severe pain ever since, but his hectic schedule prevented him from seeking medical attention until after the Lake Guntersville event concluded over the weekend.
He initially thought the problem was in his knee, but tests in Huntsville revealed the collection of blood that was pressing against a vein. His wife, Becky, said he was told that the amount was enough to fill a standard soda can.
He was put under general anesthesia (rendered unconscious) for the operation, which required a 4-inch incision, but was able to leave the hospital on Monday evening. He spent the night with friends and then traveled to Little Rock, Ark. on Tuesday for his flight home to New Jersey.
He was obviously in fairly good spirits when the accompanying photo from his Facebook page was taken.
"The doctor couldn't figure out how he'd been walking around on it," Becky Iaconelli said. "We were told that the body would've eventually absorbed the blood and he wasn't in any imminent danger, but who knows how many months it would've taken to absorb that much.
"It'll be under heavy compression for the next month to make sure it doesn't fill up again and he's not going to have to drive or do anything for the next 2 weeks. He can sit tight and relax until we head for California."
