Shinjiro Otani To Undergo Surgery For Spinal Cord Injury

Etsuo Hara

Pro Wrestling ZERO1 has confirmed that Japanese wrestling veteran Shinjiro Otani will undergo surgery for a cervical spinal cord injury suffered over the weekend.

Otani’s match with Takashi Sugiura on Sunday (April 10) was stopped, following a german suplex in the corner.

On Monday, ZERO1 President Takahito Kami informed fans that Otani was conscious but couldn’t move his limbs.

ZERO1 has now shared the following statement on Otani’s injury:

April 10 Ossu PREMIUM Ryogoku Kokugikan ZERO1 ・ We are pleased to inform you that the name of Shinjiro Otani, who was injured at the main event of the 20th & 21st Anniversary Tournament, has been revealed.

Disease name “cervical spinal cord injury”

After urgent transportation on the night of the 10th, we will be transferred to the “ICU (Intensive Care Unit)” for the purpose of securing the airway, and on the 13th tomorrow, surgery will be performed to prevent future deterioration.

Currently, in order to prevent the infection of the new coronavirus, the hospital is in the form of contacting the family from the attending physician and from the family to us, and although we have not been able to meet with the person, the person’s consciousness is stable. I heard that you can talk with your doctor and family.

We apologize for any inconvenience, but we would appreciate it if you could warmly watch over Shinjiro Otani.

Thank you.

Translated from Japanese.

Otani began his wrestling career in 1992, as a NJPW Young Lion. The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion wrestled for NJPW until 2001, before co-founding ZERO1 with Shinya Hashimoto.

We will continue to provide updates on Otani’s condition as they become available.

We wish Otani a safe and healthy recovery.

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• ZERO1
• Shinjiro Otani
• Surgery
• Injury

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