Former Astro Doug Brocail has emergency heart surgery

Wow, one of his arteries was 99 percent clogged. Sounds like he'll probably be okay.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2364491

Peoria, Ariz. -- San Diego Padres reliever Doug Brocail underwent angioplasty Saturday morning.


The 38-year-old Brocail, who last pitched Wednesday, had complained of chest tightness that radiated into both arms. He already was being treated for an abscessed tooth and asthma.

Dr. Harry Albers ordered a stress test, which came back abnormal.

"We found a large abnormality on the front wall of the heart, a blockage," Albers said. "He wasn't getting significant blood to the heart under stress."

Brocail was admitted to Boswell Memorial Hospital in nearby Sun City. Doctors found a 99-percent blockage of the left anterior descending artery, one of three coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.

After the angioplasty, in which a balloon is inserted to open the artery, a stent was inserted to assure the artery remains open.

Brocail is expected to remain in the hospital for three or four days and could resume exercising in two weeks.

"Doug pitching again isn't our main concern," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "The biggest thing here is that the medical staff saved Doug's life. The key thing is that we caught this early or we could have been dealing with a disaster.

"If he pitches again, it will be a bonus."

Brocail and his wife, Lisa, have five daughters, ranging in age from 5 to 16.

Brocail pitched in 61 games for the Texas Rangers last season and was signed as a free agent by the Padres on Dec. 15.