Doctors pleased with surgery to reattach arm of Houston boy

(Houston-AP) -- Surgeons say the operation to reattach the arm of a four-year-old Houston boy bitten by a Bengal tiger "went great."<br><br>But doctors say it's too soon to say how well the arm will

Thursday, March 16th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Houston-AP) -- Surgeons say the operation to reattach the arm of a four-year-old Houston boy bitten by a Bengal tiger "went great."

But doctors say it's too soon to say how well the arm will heal.

A spokeswoman at Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital says doctors are worried that bacteria from the tiger's mouth might
cause an infection.

Blood clotting could also cause problems.

It took nine hours of surgery to reattach Jayton Tidwell's arm, which was bitten off just below the shoulder.

The Bengal tiger belongs to the boy's uncle.

On the Net: Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital:http://www.mhhs.org/locations/mher/mher.html

Information on Bengal tigers:
http://www.greatcatsoftheworld.com/orange--bengal--tiger.html