House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was critically wounded during a baseball practice shooting, underwent his third surgery on Thursday
NEW YORK — House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, who was critically wounded during a baseball practice shooting in Virginia, underwent his third surgery on Thursday.
CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook spoke with Scott Pelley on « CBS Evening News » about the nature of the congressman’s injuries.
« We know that the bullet entered his left hip, » LaPook said. « It went across the pelvis, causing fracturing of the bone and causing damage to internal organs. »
LaPook went on to explain that bone fragments caused by fractures « can act almost like a shrapnel and wreak havoc » on the body, causing serious damage due to the amount of organs that are packed into a small area.
During their conversation, Pelley noted that the congressman was transported in shock to a medical center.
« Shock means there’s too little blood flow to major organs, like the brain, the kidneys, the lungs, » LaPook said. « And that can cause damage to these organs. »
Scalise’s body most likely entered a state of shock because « a blood vessel or blood vessels were damaged when the bullet » entered his pelvic area, according to LaPook.
The congressman was one of four people who were shot when 66-year-old James T. Hodgkinson, of Belleville, Illinois, opened fire on Republicans practicing for a charity baseball game against a team of Democrats. He remained in critical condition Thursday.
