Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech may be out of action until next year after surgery on a depressed fracture of his skull.

The 24-year-old sustained the injury in a collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt in Chelsea's 1-0 win on Saturday.

Cech underwent a successful operation at the Radcliffe Infirmary's specialist neuro-surgical unit in Oxford.

Fellow keeper Carlo Cudicini was also carried off during the match and Chelsea have not commented on how long either player will be sidelined.

"I would think Cech is likely to be out for at least six months," Peter Hamlyn, consultant neuro-surgeon and director for the centre of sports and exercise medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital told the Daily Telegraph.

"That is about the length of time it takes for stout bone healing to take place. If the brain underlying the fracture has been greatly injured, his time out may be even longer."

Hamlyn anticipates Cech making a full recovery but warned against an early return.

"If Petr Cech returns too soon from his head injury, the result could be fatal," he said.

"He risks what is known as 'second impact syndrome'. This happens when a second blow causes swelling to the brain before it has recovered fully from an earlier injury.

"It is a situation that could prove fatal, even if the first blow is deemed not to be serious."

BBC Sport

Quote:"It is a situation that could prove fatal, even if the first blow is deemed not to be serious."

Certainly sounds like quite a serious injury, Good to read that the operation was successful and lets hope that he makes a full recovery

Yes, let`s hope he fully recovers.

Quote:Fellow keeper Carlo Cudicini was also carried off during the match and Chelsea have not commented on how long either player will be sidelined.

Amazing that both goalkeepers were carried off in the same match. John Terry, central defender and captain of Chelsea, had to go in goal for the last few minutes of this game.

Jens Lehmann has waded into the debate over Chelsea's injured goalkeepers by admitting he fears someone could be left in a wheelchair.

Chelsea number one Petr Cech needed surgery on a fractured skull when he was caught in the face by the knee of Reading striker Stephen Hunt, while his deputy Carlo Cudicini left the field on a stretcher following a collision with Ibrahima Sonko.

Hunt has pleaded his innocence over his clash with Cech, while Sonko's collision looked totally accidental, but this has not stopped Lehmann from airing his views.

Arsenal's German star feels the FA top brass need to take stern action in order to head off the threat of a keeper picking up a serious injury.

"Yes, it is a man's game - but what you have to consider as well is these men have children and wives and their children do not want to see their fathers end up with lifelong damage, driven around in a wheelchair or not being able to work any more," he told Arsenal's official website.

"First of all let me say that I hope both Carlo Cudicini and Petr Cech recover quickly.

"When it happened I really felt sorry for both keepers. It made me really, really angry too.

"I am still upset because it happened to [Mark] Schwarzer and Shay Given - now it has happened to Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini.

"All of them are great keepers, very brave, they never went to challenge or harm the striker - but all four of them got knocked out due to so-called 'clumsy' challenges."

Lehmann claims he is ready to protect himself if necessary.

"I have never injured a player in my life and I really want to retain this record because I respect my opponents," said the 37-year-old.

"But now if they want to have a go at me then I will have to change my game because there is no protection from the referees.

"I know when I go on the pitch there is a risk of being injured. You cannot take this risk out - but what you can do is make statements on these intended challenges that people make on the keeper.

"They do not have any risk when challenging a keeper like that.

"In fact all these fouls are made out of a safe situation where these players cannot be hurt themselves.

"I am worried because my game is based on coming off the line so I am a potential target."

Sky Sports