When it was announced that Oakland Raiders defensive back D.J. Hayden would miss the remainder of the team’s OTAs because of an abdominal issue, there was some immediate concern that the injury could be a setback relating to his nearly fatal heart injury. Fortunately for Hayden and the Raiders, that does not appear the case and it was just a minor procedure.
Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times wrote:
DJ Hayden's doctor in Houston tells me it's his understanding this is not related to heart issue. Raiders say he had scar tissue removed.
— Sam Farmer (@LATimesfarmer) May 28, 2013
When doctors were operating on Hayden in an attempt to save his life, they had to enter through his abdominal muscles in order to reach the vena cava.
Hayden was hospitalized last week when he complained of stomach pains. When he was under the supervision of medical professionals, they determined that it would be the appropriate time to remove the star tissue from his abdominal region.
Thankfully, this is not related to the heart issue. If it was, that would have been a devastating setback.
The good news for Hayden and the Raiders is that Hayden is expected to make a full recovery and be ready for the start of training camp.