U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was hospitalized due to complications after a December surgery to treat prostate cancer. Politico writes about this with reference to doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, UNN reports.
According to media reports, in early December, Austin underwent a routine prostate screening, during which doctors discovered prostate cancer that required treatment.
On December 22, he underwent a "minimally invasive" surgery under general anesthesia to treat and cure his cancer, called a prostatectomy.
On January 1, he was hospitalized again "with complications from the December 22 procedure, including nausea with severe pain in his abdomen, hips and legs," according to a statement from Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnut. Initial tests showed that the cause was a urinary tract infection.
The next day, Austin was transferred to the intensive care unit for close monitoring and "a higher level of care," the statement said. Another examination showed that the accumulation of abdominal fluid had disrupted the function of his small intestine. A tube was inserted through his nose to drain his stomach.
The doctors wrote that Austin is recovering well.
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The medical update comes after a tumultuous week during which senior U.S. officials were unaware that Austin had been hospitalized.
Although he was hospitalized on January 1, Austin's leadership did not learn of the problem until the following day. Biden and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan were notified on January 4, and the next day the Pentagon notified members of Congress and issued a statement to the media.
Since then, Austin has apologized for the delay in disclosure, prompting Republicans to call for the Pentagon chief's dismissal. POLITICO reported that Biden has no plans to fire Austin and will not accept his resignation.