Heart Surgery Denied Over AIDS, Vet Says

An ex-Marine says he was denied heart bypass surgery at an Army hospital because he is infected with the AIDS virus.

Retired Capt. Al E. Davis, whose 25 years as a Marine included service in Korea and Vietnam, met with doctors Wednesday after filing a complaint with a federal agency about Letterman Medical Center.

But Barbara Mountrey, a center spokeswoman, said AIDS “was not the only reason for not doing the surgery.” She said the case is being reviewed. “There was no policy that said we don’t perform surgery on AIDS patients,” she added.

‘Seek Judicial Relief’

San Francisco Supervisor Quentin Kopp, who is representing Davis at no charge as a private attorney, said he is prepared to “seek judicial relief” in the matter. “It’s a slap in the face to a man who’s a 25-year veteran with the Marine Corps with overseas service in Korea and Vietnam,” Kopp said.

Davis, 52, said the medical center had arranged the surgery for him last May but that the operation was delayed pending the results of an AIDS virus test after he told a Letterman surgeon, in a response to a questionnaire, that he is gay.

The test results showed that Davis, a Vallejo resident, was infected with the HTLV-III virus, which can lead to acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Told Last Week

Davis said he was told last week that he would not be operated on. He said Letterman officials then offered to pay 75% of the cost of the surgery if he had it performed elsewhere. But Davis said he couldn’t afford his share of the expensive operation. “I don’t think I should have to pay that,” he said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta says it is safe to operate on AIDS patients if hospital employees wear gowns, masks, gloves and other protective gear.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it is looking into Davis’ complaint.