From Deseret News archives:
Clinton to have bypass surgery
Clinton's prospects are good for a full recovery from a surgery that's performed on more than 300,000 people each year with a 97.6 percent survival rate. The several hours of surgery will involve taking other arteries or veins and rerouting blood away from blocked areas and into the heart.
Clinton, 58, who suffered "mild chest pain and shortness of breath" Thursday afternoon, went to Northern Westchester Hospital and, after tests, was sent home later that night, according to a statement from the former president's office in Harlem. After more tests at Westchester on Friday morning, Clinton was transferred to New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan for upcoming surgery.
"He's in excellent hands and he's at one of the great hospitals in the world," his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., said Friday at the New York State Fair in Syracuse as she left to be with the former president and their daughter Chelsea at the hospital.
The hospital and the former president's office aren't releasing details of the surgery, which reportedly is being planned as a quadruple bypass.
"Once you get the grafts on you, you're good to go. Essentially you've got a re-load on the shotgun," said Dr. Randolph Chitwood, the chief of cardiothoracic surgery at East Carolina University's School of Medicine, who underwent bypass surgery when he was 47. "I consider I was recharged and ready to go again."
The surgery is much like installing new plumbing, Chitwood said. It involves putting inch-long patches of arteries or veins from elsewhere legs, arms or elsewhere in the chest around the blockages. Most of the time, the patient's heart is stopped during the operation, but for patients older than Clinton is, doctors sometimes do the surgery while the heart continues to beat, Chitwood said.
The procedure is relatively rare for men Clinton's age. Only 5 of 1,000 men aged 45 to 64 had bypass surgery in 2001, according to statistics kept by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On average, the surgery cost about $61,000 in 2001. The government pays ex-presidents' medical bills.
Comments
- Psychologist: Mitchell schizophrenic 9:16 p.m.
- Grizzlies loan forward to AHL team 9:15 p.m.
- Tony Finau reaches Disney finale 9:13 p.m.
- 5 officers lose their certification 9:13 p.m.
- WWII vet returns Hitler's art album 9:12 p.m.
- Basic Sports Training clinic Saturday 8:57 p.m.
- Jennings scores 22 against Raptors 8:54 p.m.
- Green Bay knocks off Wisconsin 8:52 p.m.
- Paul's layup lifts Hornets 8:51 p.m.
- 76ers lose 11th straight 8:50 p.m.
- Hot Rod behind mic for Lakers
- Cougars use depth to beat ASU
- Max Hall wants to look ahead
- Non-BCS schools not given fair shot
- Panel passes BCS playoff bill
- Psychologist: Mitchell schizophrenic
- Palin signs books, chats with fans
- Small plane crashes near Lehi
- Snow brings big chill
- Jazz go up against 'the best'
- Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
292 - Letters: Global warming a lie
228 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
206 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
178 - Cougars going back to Vegas
150 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
147 - Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
138 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
121 - Max Hall wants to look ahead
119 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
100
Love him or hate him, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch knows how to get attention.
leave beck alone ; he probably has more courage than most timid ones who are...
I don't begrudge the Church in Mexico Miguel's spirit and skills, nor do I...
What we need is a street full of bars our families can take US to. Now that...
We can count on the Deseret News to rely on old stale bromides and bow to the...
Of Tina Fey, but have never really gotten into 30 Rock. Please run for...
Pitta is a great competitor who has a bright future in the NFL. He will be...
haha reminds me of "A Christmas Story" funny!
I have watched soaps for many years and record The Young and Restless and As...
on a well deserved honor. One of the best in a long line of great BYU TEs.
To clarify my earlier comment, on Celebrating giving gifts "from Santa" is...




You can be the first to comment on this story.