Former St. Petersburg Mayor Bob Ulrich okay after post-op mishap

By Mary Jane Park, Times Staff Writer
Posted: Mar 28, 2008 03:50 PM

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Onetime St. Petersburg Mayor Bob Ulrich's stay at Bayfront Medical Center for a rotator cuff repair Tuesday involved a bit more drama than anyone anticipated.

After the arthroscopic procedure, as medical personnel were putting a sling onto his arm and preparing to transfer him from a surgical suite to a room, Ulrich, 74, slipped off the operating table and onto the floor.

The longtime civic leader was regaining consciousness from the anesthetic used during the surgery and suffered a couple of bruises, but he doesn't remember the landing, said his wife, Barbara.

He was relaxed from the anesthetic and had a foam pad between his arm and torso, she said.

"It was just one of those fluky things," Barbara Ulrich said Friday. "He's fine."

She had only praise for hospital personnel, who showed tremendous concern for her husband, she said. X-rays revealed no serious injuries, and he returned home Thursday.

Hospital officials said they could not comment because of privacy restrictions.

"We're very fortunate and very thankful," Barbara Ulrich said. "He wasn't hurt one bit."