Surgery Ruled Out as Haydon’s Bleeding Lessens

Doctors discovered unexplained and persistent bleeding in the chest of Murray P. Haydon but decided not to take the third artificial heart recipient back into surgery Friday after X-rays showed that his condition had improved, doctors said.

Blood had been seeping into Haydon’s chest cavity since Tuesday, when lines monitoring the heart were withdrawn.

Doctors determined “that it was, in fact, the removal of the monitoring lines that probably . . . began the bleeding,” spokesman Tom Noland said at Humana Hospital Audubon.

On Friday, X-rays showed much less fluid in Haydon’s chest cavity, and tests showed an improvement in his red blood cell count, said Robert Irvine, Humana Inc.’s director of public relations.

‘Healing on Their Own’

Implant surgeon William C. DeVries “believes the sources of bleeding are healing on their own and surgery will not be required,” Irvine said. Doctors believe that the problem could be fully resolved in the next 48 hours, he added.

Internal bleeding was a problem for the two other recipients of permanent artificial hearts.

Haydon, who received his artificial heart on Feb. 17, had been receiving anti-clotting medication since the surgery. Blood clots were believed to be at least partly responsible for a stroke suffered Dec. 13 by William J. Schroeder, the second artificial heart recipient.

Doctors did not change Haydon’s medication Friday, although they said that it might have been a factor in the bleeding.

Received Transfusion

Haydon, a 58-year-old retired Louisville auto worker, had been losing more blood Wednesday and received a transfusion Thursday.

Haydon’s overall condition was unchanged from Thursday, Irvine said. His vital signs were normal, he was eating well and he continued to get out of bed to sit in a chair.

Meanwhile, Schroeder, who on Thursday had one of his best nights in three weeks, was continuing therapy Friday in anticipation of his possible discharge from the hospital within two weeks.