Country singer Dottie West was reported near death Tuesday after surgery failed to stop internal bleeding.
West, 58, was in critical but stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She has continued to lose blood since an auto accident Friday, and two operations also took a toll, Dr. Richard S. Miller said Monday."Due to her age, her chances of survival are not as good as I thought they were before," Miller said. "I can't give you an exact percentage, but they're not very good."
West suffered a ruptured liver and spleen when the car she was riding in crashed on the way to a Grand Ole Opry performance.
Doctors operated on Friday and Monday but were unable to stop the bleeding. Another operation was scheduled for Wednesday.
"We do now get survivors with this type of injury, but most of them are in their 20s, not in their 60s," said Dr. John Morris Jr., who participated in the surgery.
Doctors also thought West had suffered a neck injury but determined Monday that she hadn't, Miller said.
George Thackston, an 81-year-old neighbor who was driving West, was in critical but stable condition with unspecified injuries. Police said he lost control of the car while driving 55 mph in a 25 mph zone.