Hanson Guitarist Recovering After Surgery for Blood Clot

Oct 05, 07:07 PM

Current Headlines: By Mike Daniel, The Dallas Morning News

Oct. 5--Isaac Hanson, guitarist for the Tulsa, Okla.-based pop-rock band Hanson, underwent successful surgery in Dallas on Thursday to relieve a blood clot in his lungs.

Mr. Hanson, 26, was hospitalized early Wednesday after playing a concert at House of Blues on Tuesday night. He'd complained of "severe pain in his shoulders and chest," said the band's publicist, Ken Phillips, and was admitted to Baylor University Medical Center.

Doctors initially diagnosed a pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot in a vein breaks free, travels to the pulmonary artery and partially blocks it. Late Thursday morning, they discovered that the form of embolism afflicting Mr. Hanson, venous thoracic outlet syndrome, would require surgery to correct.

The condition, commonly referred to as Paget-Schroeder Syndrome, can be fatal.

It is typically found in athletes whose unusually strong chest and shoulder muscles constrict the heart's arteries, potentially leading to embolisms and making them more acute.

The surgery was performed by Dr. Bradley Grimsley, who in a written statement said he expects Mr. Hanson to make "a full and swift recovery." Mr. Hanson remained at Baylor in stable condition on Thursday, but is expected to be released today pending doctor's approval.

As a result of Mr. Hanson's hospitalization, Thursday's homecoming show in Tulsa was canceled; future dates in St. Louis and Kansas City, Mo. were postponed when the surgery was scheduled. The band plans to resume its tour on Oct. 8 in Knoxville, Tenn.

On Thursday, Mr. Hanson's younger brothers and bandmates -- Taylor Hanson, 24, and Zachary Hanson, 21 -- kept a pre-show commitment in Tulsa to go on a midafternoon one-mile walk to raise awareness of poverty and the AIDS epidemic in Africa. The brothers have staged such walks at each stop on their current tour in support of Hanson's new album, The Walk .

The band Hanson is best known for its 1997 No. 1 pop hit "MMMBop," yet the three brothers have retained a large and loyal fan base after going independent in 2001.

-----

To see more of The Dallas Morning News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dallasnews.com.

Copyright (c) 2007, The Dallas Morning News

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.