UH coach Wallace’s Hawaii men's basketball coach Riley Wallace was resting comfortably this afternoon following surgery to remove two subdermal hematomas at the University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
surgery successful
The 60-year-old is in
good condition and expected
to return later next weekBy Cindy Luis
cluis@starbulletin.comThe 60-year-old Wallace had been admitted to UMC yesterday morning after complaining of severe headaches. His daughter, Kim Haynes who lives in Las Vegas, drove Wallace to the emergency room; a CAT scan revealed the hematomas on the left side of his brain.
After the two-hour craniotomy, Wallace was in recovery for an hour then moved to the Intensive Care Unit at 10:15 a.m. HST. He was moved to his room where he was said to be alert and talking with family and friends.
"He has responded well to the surgery and is doing very well," said hospital spokesman Rick Plummer. "There were no complications with the surgery. We expect him to return to the court in no time."
For the next 48 hours, Wallace will have a tube inserted into his head to drain the excess fluid. Wallace is expected to be released from the hospital Monday or Tuesday, and to return to Hawaii later next week. He had been on the mainland for recruiting and had planned to attend today's football game at Provo, Utah, between Hawaii and BYU.
He was scheduled to continue on to the East Coast for recruiting trip, "but obviously that has to change," Joan Wallace told the Star-Bulletin.
Wallace had participated in a golf tournament in Los Angeles with former UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida. He also spoke at a UH alumni gathering prior to driving to Las Vegas, where he was among the UH contingent meeting with hotel/casino owner Bill Boyd, a sponsor of UH events.
Wallace was also visiting with Haynes and grandson Jackson, who turns 4 next week.
"He's been having headaches and I took him to the hospital," Haynes told the Star-Bulletin last night. "They took a CAT scan and decided on the operation. The neurosurgeon said it's a simple, routine procedure and nothing to worry about. My dad's fine and he's expected to be back in Hawaii next week"
A subdermal hematoma is a blood clot or blood bruise. Joan Wallace said that doctors thought that the bruise possibly was caused by a bump.
"I'm not serious in the grand scheme of things, but you're still talking about operating on your skull," Joan Wallace said prior to last night's flight. "The doctors said it's an old hematoma and they'll remove about a 2-inch, football-shape piece. He's on blood-thinners for his heart and had been taking plasma (in the hospital). They were waiting for enough plasma to thicken his blood before they operate."
Joan Wallace said she expected her husband to be released from the hospital after the weekend and probably return to Hawaii late next week.
This is not the first time that Wallace has had health problems. He collapsed at the 1992 Western Athletic Conference tournament five minutes into the first-round game against Utah.
The game was halted, then resumed the next day; the Rainbows lost to the Utes, 81-69.
Despite undergoing numerous tests after the incident, the only diagnosis from the doctors was a severe headache. It was thought to be brought on by stress-related TMJ (temporomandibular joint syndrome).
In January of 1998, Wallace underwent an angioplasty for a blocked artery. He had complained of chest pains and dull pain in his arms.
In 2000 while playing in the Maui Open golf tournament, the coach was hospitalized for intestinal complications brought about by strong medication and trauma from a back injury.