Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) was operated on Thursday to treat an infection that caused his condition to be downgraded to serious and forced his return Wednesday to the Intensive Care Unit at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, according to an announcement by the hospital. Scalise was shot in the hip during an attack on Republican Congressmen by a Bernie Sanders supporter who were gathered at an Alexandria, Virginia baseball field early on June 14 to practice for a charity ball game. Three others were wounded in the shooting: a staffer, a lobbyist and a police officer. Another officer sustained a non-shooting injury during the attack.
The statements from the hospital were the first since June 23rd announcing Scalise was well enough to be moved from the ICU.
Released on behalf of the Scalise family, July 6, 2017, 5:50 p.m.
Congressman Steve Scalise underwent surgery for the management of infection. He tolerated the procedure well. He remains in serious condition. We will provide updates as appropriate.
July 5, 2017, 10 p.m.
Congressman Steve Scalise has been readmitted to the Intensive Care Unit at MedStar Washington Hospital Center due to new concerns for infection. His condition is listed as serious. We will provide another update tomorrow, July 6.
June 23, 2017, 3:15 p.m.
Congressman Steve Scalise’s continued good progress allowed him to be transferred out of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Thursday (June 22). He remains in fair condition as he continues an extended period of healing and rehabilitation.
A report on Scalise’s wound was presented two days after the attack by Dr. Jack Sava, Director of Trauma for MedStar Washington Hospital Center.
…Congressman Steve Scalise sustained a single wound from a rifle, entering in the area of his left hip. The bullet traveled straight across toward the other hip, in what we call a transpelvic gunshot wound. The round fragmented, and caused significant damage to bones, internal organs and blood vessels. I understand he was awake initially, but due to severe bleeding, by the time he arrived at MedSTAR by helicopter, he was in shock.
My partners, Dr. Tony Shiflett and Dr. Christine Trankiem, as well as other doctors and nurses, saw him in the trauma center, and immediately transported him to the operating room for surgery. In the OR, he was in critical condition and received many units of blood transfusion for ongoing hemorrhage from multiple locations. He received truly amazing anesthesia care from Dr. Scott Frank and Dr. Eric Skolnick. Largely due to their work, we were able to get him through the operation and take him to Interventional Radiology, where Dr. Arshad Khan performed another procedure to further control bleeding.
From there he was taken to intensive care under the care of Dr. Chadi Abouassaly. Over the course of Wednesday night, we were encouraged to see evidence that we had controlled the bleeding. Yesterday, (June 15, 2017) Dr. Trankiem and I performed a second operation, and Dr. Rob Golden, our director of orthopaedic trauma, repaired a bone in the leg.
The Congressman remains in critical condition. Over the last 36 hours, we have been encouraged to see some improvement in his condition. We have controlled the internal bleeding, and his vital signs have stabilized.
The Congressman will require additional operations to manage abdominal injuries and other broken bones. He will be in the hospital for some time. Predicting the length of that hospital stay will be much easier after a few more days have passed. After discharge he will need a period of healing and rehabilitation….
In addition to Scalise, those shot were Matt Mika, the director of government relations for the Washington office of Tyson Foods and a former congressional staff member who was shot twice in the chest; Zachary Barth, a staffer for Rep. Roger Williams (R-TX), who was hit in the leg by a bullet and was treated and released; two Capitol Police officers who were part of Scalise’s security detail were wounded in the attack: Officer Crystal Griner was shot in the ankle, Officer David Bailey sustained minor injuries and was also treated and released.
All except Scalise have since been released. The shooter, Sanders supporter James T. Hodgkinson, was killed at the scene by police.
