Rick Harrison went into the hospital expecting doctors to place a stent.

Instead, they discovered a much more serious problem and rushed the “Pawn Stars” favorite into emergency bypass surgery.

Harrison’s family says the 61-year-old is now resting comfortably with his wife and loved ones by his side.

The sudden turn was first reported Friday as fans flooded social media with prayers and well-wishes for the reality television star.

TMZ reported that Harrison had been scheduled for what was expected to be a routine stent procedure. During that process, doctors found an issue serious enough to require bypass surgery instead.

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The operation was performed on an emergency basis. Harrison remained hospitalized after the surgery, but his representative said he was comfortable and focused on recovering.

His wife, Angie, and other members of the family stayed close while doctors monitored him. The family did not disclose the hospital, the precise diagnosis or how many arteries required treatment.

No further medical details have been released about the 61-year-old television personality. That leaves the family’s statement as the clearest account of Harrison’s condition and recovery outlook.

Fox News Digital separately received the family’s statement after the unexpected operation. A spokesperson said Harrison “is resting comfortably and looking forward to a full recovery.”

The representative said Harrison had gone in for a simpler procedure before doctors discovered he needed emergency bypass surgery. His wife and family were with him as he began recovering.

The family also expressed gratitude to the doctors and hospital staff caring for Harrison. It did not identify the hospital or provide a timetable for his release.

The statement offered worried fans a hopeful update without minimizing how abruptly the planned procedure changed on Friday. Harrison is recovering, surrounded by loved ones, and expecting to regain his health.

A stent and bypass surgery both aim to restore blood flow, but they are very different procedures.

A stent is a small mesh tube used to help hold open a narrowed artery. Bypass surgery creates another route for blood to move around a blockage.

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The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute explains that coronary artery bypass grafting uses a healthy blood vessel from elsewhere in the body and connects it above and below a narrowed or blocked coronary artery.

That new route allows blood to bypass the damaged section and reach the heart muscle. The procedure may be recommended when the arteries supplying the heart are severely narrowed or blocked.

The federal health agency notes that doctors may use bypass surgery in an emergency, including in some cases involving a severe heart attack. Harrison’s family has not said that he suffered a heart attack, and no report should assume that he did.

Recovery depends on the individual patient and the type of operation performed. The only prognosis publicly attributed to Harrison’s medical team is the family’s expectation that he will make a full recovery.

News of the operation continued spreading Saturday as local television stations shared the family’s update:

Harrison became a household name after “Pawn Stars” debuted on the History Channel in 2009.

The show follows the daily business inside the World Famous Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas, where Harrison built a reputation for spotting questionable claims, calling in experts and refusing to overpay.

His father, Richard “The Old Man” Harrison, son Corey Harrison and Austin “Chumlee” Russell helped turn the family business into one of cable television’s most recognizable reality-show settings.

That long run has made Harrison feel familiar to viewers who have never stepped inside the shop. Friday’s health scare landed differently because fans have spent years watching him work, argue, laugh and haggle with his family.

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Now the man who usually asks the questions is following his doctors’ orders and beginning the work of recovery.

His family’s update is serious, but hopeful.

Rick Harrison is resting, and his loved ones are with him.

Everyone is looking forward to seeing him back on his feet.

Rick Harrison at CPAC 2018. Original photograph by Gage Skidmore. Adapted by WLTReport. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.

 

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