Graham also had double bypass

When the senator's aortic valve was replaced, surgeons also performed two bypasses and repaired a tiny hole his heart.

By BILL ADAIR, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published February 21, 2003

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Bob Graham revealed Thursday that his heart surgery was more complicated than previously disclosed, but said he is recovering well and is still planning to run for president.

In his first conversation with reporters since the Jan. 31 surgery, the Florida Democrat said doctors replaced his aortic valve as planned, but they also performed a double bypass operation and repaired a small hole between the upper chambers of his heart. Blood vessels from Graham's leg were used for the bypass procedure.

Graham's office issued two statements in the three weeks since the surgery, but neither mentioned the bypass nor the hole repair.

Asked why his office had not revealed the additional work, Graham said the procedures were relatively minor.

He called it "preventive maintenance. It was a little bit like opening the hood of your car to change spark plugs" and deciding to do more extensive work.

Dr. Hugh van Gelder, a St. Petersburg cardiologist, said it is routine for doctors to decide at the last minute to perform a bypass when they see blockage in the coronary arteries, as they did in Graham's case. It avoids the trauma of opening the patient's chest again in the future.

"It's such a big deal to get back into the chest, it's better to do it all at once," he said.

The pinpoint hole in Graham's heart is a condition found in about 10 to 20 percent of the population that usually does not cause any health problems. But when the heart is undergoing surgery, doctors often take the opportunity to close the hole.

Graham, whose family operates a dairy farm, joked that he was glad his new heart valve had come from a cow:

"I'm very happy that not only did he choose a cow valve, but he chose a Holstein cow valve, which are the cows we have in our dairy. I will forever have a black and white friend close to my heart."

Graham, 66, who next week will file papers to establish his campaign, said he plans to run if he continues to recuperate well.

"I'm rested, I'm energetic and I'm ready to go," he said.

He returned to his Capitol Hill townhouse Thursday after spending the past 10 days at his daughter's house in the Virginia suburbs. Graham said he expects to return to work in the Senate on a part-time basis next week and will make a decision about the campaign in four to eight weeks.

"I'm feeling very strong, and every day can feel additional improvement," Graham said. "I got a very good report yesterday from the doctor."

In the meantime, Graham is working the phones to get his campaign started.

He said he has begun talking with experts in different fields "to intellectually charge my batteries to the highest level." He is assembling a small staff in Florida to begin raising money and is close to hiring a campaign manager.

"I am very forward-leaning about the campaign for president," he said. "The only remaining question is the issue of getting medical clearance to do so."

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