Bryan Stow, the San Francisco Giants fan who was beaten into a coma at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, had emergency surgery, his family says.
Stow, 42, a San Francisco paramedic, was assaulted in the stadium parking lot after the Dodgers and Giants played their opening game on March 31.
"Yesterday was a rough day for Bryan and an emotional one for us," the family said in a message posted this week on the SupportBryanStow Web site. Bryan had to have emergency surgery yesterday morning due to massive amounts of fluid building up that caused a 30 second seizure."
In the posting, the family said the surgeon at a San Francisco hospital removed a bone flap that was inserted last week, found a growth and removed that, allowing the fluid to drain.
Stow was breathing on his own after doctors at San Francisco General Hospital removed a ventilator, and his condition was upgraded from critical to serious, Dr. Geoff Manley, chief of neurosurgery, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Manley said Stow can open his eyes, follow basic commands and is being taken off two of five anti-seizure medicines. "We remain optimistic, but we must be extremely cautious about interpreting his progress," said Manley.
A suspect, Giovanni Ramirez, 31, was arrested three weeks ago, the Los Angeles Times reported. He is being held on a parole violation and has not been formally charged with the attack.
