Worcester Warriors hope flanker Marco Mama can be fit to start next season following an 80-mile dash for surgery on a 'dead leg' complication that will keep him out for "a good few months".
Mama, captain for the past two games after injuries to GJ van Velze and Ryan Mills, tried to run off his injury in Sunday's win over Gloucester.
But he was then taken to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital after the match.
"The doctors did a fine job," said director of rugby Alan Solomons.
"We're very fortunate to have such fantastic hospitals in this country," he told BBC Hereford & Worcester.
"He got a dead leg and the consequence of it was that on Sunday night it became very painful for him and he was admitted to hospital.
"He was admitted to the John Radcliffe, but he was very well looked after. They are specialists in this sort of injury, and will do a further procedure later in the week.
"With those kind of injuries, he'll be out for a good few months. But there's no reason why he shouldn't be back for the start of next season."
Both Mama and Mills, who has had shoulder surgery, will miss their side's final two league matches - away at Northampton and then at home to reigning Premiership champions and European Champions Cup finalists Saracens.
But a boost for Warriors, who secured their Premiership survival on Sunday, is that they will have Van Velze fit following his arm injury in February.
Winger Perry Humphreys will have an ankle operation during the summer but he will be fine for the last two matches, while Scott van Breda also needs a shoulder operation.