College of Arts and Sciences senior Steven Boursiquot, who survived a fire that swept through his Aberdeen Street apartment last Saturday, underwent successful surgery yesterday morning, according to a Massachusetts General Hospital CarePage posted by family members.
The surgery, which addressed Boursiquot’s burn wounds, focused on his back, which had the most severe burns, according to the post.
Boursiquot will undergo a second surgery next week so doctors can fully treat his third-degree burn wounds, according to the post. Because of pneumonia, a bacterial blood infection and a low blood-platelet count, Boursiquot’s burns — which cover 20 percent of his body — had to be covered with cadaver skin instead of his own, which is the usual procedure, the post states.
His second surgery will graft his own skin onto the wounds, according to the post. Boursiquot suffered burns to the left side of his body, upper back and right ankle. Doctors plan to remove Boursiquot’s ventilation tube early next week depending on his condition, according to the post.
“He’s just such a strong kid,” said CAS senior Dylan Hedmark, a close friend of Boursiquot and resident of the second floor of 21 Aberdeen St. “All of us have no doubt that he’s going to recover fine from this. He’s been getting better with every day.”
A group of about 15 students have continually visited the hospital to comfort Boursiquot’s family, Hedmark said. Only his family and closest friends have been allowed in the room.
Boursiquot, known as “Steef” among family and friends, has had many visitors over the past week, said College of Communication senior Ted Saunders, Boursiquot’s roommate during their sophomore and junior years.
“This morning, they said that he looked really strong,” he said. “He’s such a healthy kid athletically, and he’s in really good shape.”
Boursiquot’s face is slightly swollen and bloated, but he is recognizable, said Suffolk University senior Joe Dunbar, Hedmark’s roommate.
Boursiquot’s family expects he will make a full recovery, said Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences junior Erica Altschul.
While they have not yet done a full assessment of his brain, “[doctors] are very confident there is no brain damage,” Altschul said in an email.
“Steven [flickered] his eyes a little when his father walked into the room and said, ‘Steven, I’m here,'” Dunbar said.