Senator Boozman Removed From Cardiovascular ICU

U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-Arkansas) has been removed from the specialized cardiovascular intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas.

Boozman, 63, is still under observation in a private recovery room at the Rogers hospital following an emergency heart surgery Tuesday morning that lasted several hours.

Boozman was taken to the hospital after midnight Monday, and the Mercy heart team, led by cardiovascular surgeon Dr. E.J. Chauvin, responded around 2 a.m.

Boozman was in surgery until mid-morning Tuesday.

A Boozman spokesman said the senator was diagnosed with an acute aortic dissection, but did not offer any further details about the surgery.

A statement Thursday from the Boozman office in Washington D.C. said the senator’s family has indicated that doctors are amazed at how quickly Boozman is recovering from the surgery.

On Wednesday, Boozman’s office also released a statement from the family:

“We appreciate the prayers, kind words and well-wishes that have come from Arkansans and people all across the country. Our number one priority is making sure John makes a full recovery. We are grateful for the excellent care the doctors, nurses and medical staff are providing. They are amazed at how well he has responded and we are anxious for him to begin the next phase of recovery. We know that if John had it his way he would be right back on the road in Arkansas, so the difficult part will be making sure he gets the rest he needs to get better.”

Boozman, an optometrist, served Arkansas’ Third District for five terms as a U.S. Congressman. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2010.