Artificial Heart Patient Leaves ICU

By Bruce Schreiner

Associated Press Writer

Louisville, Ky. (AP) - The second person to receive a self-contained artificial heart was moved out of intensive care Friday amid continuing signs that his condition is improving.

Tom Christerson, 70, was taken to a monitoring unit for cardiac patients. Two days ago, he took a 25-minute van ride through downtown Louisville, his first excursion outside Jewish Hospital since his Sept. 13 surgery.

``He is still very weak, but Tom is making continuous strides in his physical therapy,'' said Dr. Laman Gray Jr., one of his surgeons.

Christerson stands on his own and walks with the aid of a walker, according to his son, Ken. He receives physical and speech therapy twice daily.

Christerson's recovery was set back by fevers in early November that peaked at 107 degrees, attributed to a reaction to medication. Since then, his temperature has been normal, and he has been breathing without a ventilator for several weeks, doctors said.

The first recipient of the AbioCor heart, Robert Tools, 59, died Nov. 30, almost five months after the heart was implanted. His death was blamed on long-standing health problems.

Tools and Christerson both received their artificial hearts at Jewish Hospital.

Christerson's family has not told him about Tools' death. ``We really didn't want to dampen his spirits with that, now that he's finally on the upswing,'' his son said.

Copyright © 2001 The Associated Press.

This article posted January 8, 2002.