Surviving Miner Gets 2nd Oxygen Treatment

By DANIEL LOVERING

PITTSBURGH (AP) - The lone survivor of a coal mine explosion underwent two oxygen treatments and remained under sedation as he struggles to recover from brain damage and other injuries, doctors said Friday.

Doctors stressed it would take time before the extent of the brain damage is known.

Randal McCloy Jr. was taken by ambulance Thursday from West Virginia University's Ruby Memorial Hospital to Allegheny General Hospital, where he remained in critical condition Friday.

Dr. Richard Shannon, who is leading the team of doctors treating the miner, said McCloy's first oxygen treatments went well. Doctors said McCloy has shown some movements when his medications are reduced at times.

``We'll keep him medically sedated as long as possible,'' Shannon said.

``The coma at the moment is medically induced,'' Shannon said. ``When the medications are weened or reduced, Mr. McCloy does move; Mr. McCloy does bite down on his tube; Mr. McCloy does appear to flicker his eyelids. All those things are true. I don't want to let anyone to think that is some clear indication whatsoever of the nature of the extent of his recovery or injury.''

His wife, Anna, had said earlier Friday that she felt her husband, 26, was reacting to her.

``I know he knows when I'm there because when I'm there, he gets excited,'' she said on ABC's ``Good Morning America.'' She said he also reacted when she brought their two children to see him.

McCloy was brought to Pittsburgh to undergo treatment in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which bombards the body with oxygen to battle the carbon monoxide poisoning. He completed a second session in the chamber Friday morning.

He could not have been moved from West Virginia any sooner because his condition was unstable, doctors said.

Dr. Antonio Zikos said results of the oxygen treatments won't be immediately known, adding that the treatments were a supplement ``to all the other treatments he's been getting.''

Zikos, whose specialty is pulmonary medicine, said McCloy's left lung, which had been collapsed, was doing well Friday. Doctors found a small clot in his lungs, which they described as not serious.

Zikos also said McCloy's kidneys were stabilized. He had small hemorrhages in his brain, but that they were ``a minor issue'' and have been stabilized, the doctor said.

Earlier, Dr. Lawrence Roberts, director of the West Virginia University's trauma center, said there had been some small improvement in McCloy's responsiveness, but he warned that there would not be a miraculous recovery in the hyperbaric chamber.

``We don't expect to put him in the chamber and have him open his eyes and start talking to us,'' Roberts said.

McCloy was rescued early Wednesday after being trapped in the Sago Mine near Tallmansville for more than 42 hours. Twelve other miners died.

Ben Hatfield, president and CEO of International Coal Group, which owns the mine, guessed that McCloy may have been deeper in a barricaded area that he and 11 other miners created after the explosion early Monday, and therefore farther from toxic gases. The 13th miner died in another location.

McCloy's father, Randal McCloy Sr., told The Associated Press that he believes - though he has no evidence to support it - that his son survived because his older colleagues dragged him to their makeshift hiding place and shared the last of their oxygen with him because he was the youngest, and had two small children at home.

``Those men were like brothers. They took care of each other,'' he said.

I was wondering the same thing, but was told that AGH has better equipment for this particular problem (renal? brain? lung?).

AGH has a large hyperbolic chamber than the one in morgantown. The one here couldn't fit the man and his ventilator.

That makes sense. Those are fairly few and far between and come in different sizes and flavors. A larger city or medical center is more likely to have a bigger one.

There's one here in Denver that several people can sit in at the same time. At my former station, we did a live project outside it for the TODAY Show when they brought in several avalanche victims a few years ago.

(I think these are called Hyberbaric chambers, aren't they?)

"Hyper" means increased and "baric" relates to pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) refers to intermittent treatment of the entire body with 100-percent oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures."

See Link for more information:

http://drcranton.com/hbo.htm

Breaking news: He has improved dramatically today and is stable enough to be flown back to a W.Va. hospital.

Oh, that's just great! Wonderful news.

It may happen as soon as tonight. About time for some good news.

He's back in Morgantown. They thought it best that he could be closer to his family as he recuperates.

From what I understand, he is never going to be completely ok. He suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen, but I'm not sure to what degree.

From what I've read, they won't know for a while. You know that entire town's hopes are pinned on him.

How Sad...
 

Peace be with all those that died in the mining accident. Bless them for writing notes and letting their loved ones know they didn't suffer. Maybe they didn't die in vain...at least I hope so--I have heard some reporters talking about this accident being a wake up call that minors need better rescue equipment and breathing aids that give them more than 1 hour of 02.

My grandfather, who died at 83, started working in the mines at age 10. He was glad when he had a chance to go the the CCC and then went on to get drafted and go to WWII. He didn't like the mining life. His father was disabled from black lung which made him had to quit school after 3rd grade and go to work to help support the family.

I hope the other miner recovers with no ill affects. I have been thinking more as I turn on my power that we shouldn't take our power sources for granted (even though my power out here in the Pacific NW by hydro sources).