VAIL, Colo. — Vail surgeon Richard Steadman, whose clinic has treated some of the nation's elite athletes, says he suffered a serious blood clot in his lungs this month but expects a full recovery.

Steadman told the Vail Daily in Thursday's editions that he got emergency "clot buster" treatment on Dec. 5.

In an e-mail to the newspaper, Steadman said quick response by EMTs after his wife called 911 and treatment by Dr. Larry Gall "no doubt saved my life."

Steadman says he hopes to resume seeing patients after the holidays.

Steadman specializes in knee surgery at the Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail. The clinic's patients have included Kobe Bryant, Bode Miller, Picabo Street, Larry Walker, John Elway and Greg Norman.

He has also been the surgeon for the U.S. Ski Team.

But in a 1998 interview with The Associated Press, Steadman said the vast majority of the clinic's patients are "ordinary folks."

An answering service said no one was available at the clinic Thursday to comment. No home listing could be found for Steadman.

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Information from: Vail Daily, http://www.vaildaily.com