Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dalton Swanger has faced complications after being injured in the line of duty and will likely need a complicated surgery.
His girlfriend, Stephania Pumphrey said on Facebook Saturday that Swanger’s health had taken a turn after being on a ventilator and in a coma for such a long time. She said he has tracheal stenosis, which is when someone’s trachea narrows, causing breathing complications. That realization came over the summer, she said, after he had originally been released back home.
“When we realized something was really wrong and rushed to the ER in late August, it was only 8 mm wide,” Pumphrey said. “He has had three unsuccessful surgeries since then that are meant to dilate his airway, and it has continued to close at an accelerated rate.”
What comes next, she added, is a complicated surgery called a tracheal resection. It involves taking a portion of his trachea out, she said, and is something only a few specialized teams across the country can do.
“Dalton is asking for your continued prayers as we search for a hospital capable of performing this surgery,” Pumphrey said. “We’ve been reaching out to these hospitals, but so far, haven’t been able to get scheduled – and he urgently needs this surgery to save his life. We got some very hopeful news from a dear friend today, but your prayers for doors to open, for the right team to be found, and for a clear path forward mean more to us than words can say.”
Swanger was injured during the filming of an episode of “On Patrol Live,” a reality show that follows officers in the field.
