Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 17, 1990 TAG: 9006170060
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: SEATTLE LENGTH: Medium
Anatoly Grishchenko, 53, who had been in stable condition after the April 27 transplant, developed a fever and breathing difficulties late Thursday, and doctors at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center placed him on a respirator early Friday, center spokeswoman Susan Edmonds said.
There had been "no major changes either way" in Grishchenko's condition overnight, Edmonds said Saturday morning, "but he really has shown no improvement."
His doctors "say it doesn't look good," she added.
Grishchenko's leukemia was detected late last year. He made four flights in five days through hot radioactive gases to dump sand and wet concrete on the Chernobyl nuclear plant.
The plant, about 80 miles north of Kiev in the Soviet republic of the Ukraine, exploded and burned April 26, 1986. At least 31 people died in the disaster.
He underwent the transplant in hopes that healthy marrow could restore normal blood-cell production.
The problem is a hard-to-treat lung infection he had before coming to the Hutchinson Center, Edmonds said. Doctors had tried to eliminate it with antibiotics, but the infection continued in his right lung.
After waiting until the transplant appeared successful, doctors on Tuesday performed exploratory lung surgery to identify and remove the source of the infection.
The surgery appeared to go well, but Grishchenko's condition began deteriorating late Thursday, Edmonds said.
It was not known if his worsening condition was related to the surgery, she said, adding that he will continue to receive antibiotics.
Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev praised Grishchenko in a recent letter as a national hero and a "brave man who didn't spare his life in the line of duty."
Grishchenko arrived in Seattle from the Soviet Union on April 11.
by CNB