Rooney in Coma; Condition ‘Very Grave’

Art Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ chairman and founder, slipped into a coma Monday, and his doctor described his condition as “very grave.”

Rooney, 87, was hospitalized last week because of a stroke. He had been improving during the weekend, but he suffered a setback Monday afternoon when he developed increased cerebral swelling, Dr. Theodore Gelet said during a brief news conference late Monday.

The condition of Rooney, who is in the intensive care unit of Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, was downgraded to critical and unstable. Earlier in the day, he had been listed in critical but stable condition.

“Right now, I’m the most pessimistic I’ve been about the outcome,” Gelet said. “He’s exhibiting evidence of increased pressure on the left side of his brain . . . and he has decreased respiration.”

Rooney , who founded the National Football League’s fifth-oldest franchise in 1933, was hospitalized Wednesday after he became dizzy at the Steeler offices at Three Rivers Stadium. He was put on a respirator Thursday when he developed breathing problems and paralysis in his right arm and leg.

Saturday morning, Gelet reported that Rooney appeared to be regaining strength and had been moving around more, although there was little improvement in his paralysis. Cerebral swelling, which is normal after a stroke, appeared to be subsiding, and doctors had been weaning Rooney off the respirator.

But doctors were forced to increase respirator pressure after Rooney began deteriorating, Gelet said.

Swelling on the left side of Rooney’s brain also is affecting the right side, the doctor said.

“The whole left side of the brain is involved, and it has produced enough pressure that it’s producing increased pressure on the other side of the brain,” he said.

Doctors have been giving Rooney steroids to reduce the swelling and other medication that is expected to flush excess fluids from his body, he said.

There’s very little else doctors can do besides wait, Gelet said.

Rooney’s family remained with him throughout the day.

Gelet said Sunday evening that he believed Rooney was doing so well, he encouraged his son John to take a planned trip to Vermont.

But John Rooney rushed back to the hospital late Monday, Gelet said.

Family members, including three of Rooney’s sons--Dan, the team president; Art Jr., the vice president, and John--visit him daily, she said.