Mrs Clinton had been in a meeting with President Obama when she heard her husband had been taken ill
Three Presidents: Clinton with George W. Bush and Barack Obama last month
Clinton was rushed to the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in New York
The world's media gather to hear about Mr Clinton's progress
The view of the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital tonight, where Mr Clinton is recovering following his stent operation
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is flanked by secret service agents as arrives at the hospital to see her husband
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton, seen here helping the earthquake relief efforts in Haiti on January 18, was rushed to hospital last night
Bill Clinton is today recovering after major heart surgery after being taken to hospital in New York with chest pains last night.
The fast food-loving ex-President was said to be in 'good spirits' after an emergency operation to clear a blocked coronary artery by implanting two surgical stents.
A stent is a small mesh tube inserted into a narrowed or weakened artery to support it and allow blood to flow through.
His wife, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left the Oval Office after a meeting with President Obama in snowbound Washington to be at her 63-year-old husband's bedside at the Columbia Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.
An eye witness outside the hospital said he had seen Mr Clinton being wheeled in.
'We saw eight men wheeling a gurney and when we saw closer we saw Mr Clinton with an oxygen mask on his face being wheeled into hospital,' he said.
The former President had been taken to the hospital after feeling 'discomfort', an aide said, adding: 'He knew that something was wrong. He didn't feel right. He didn't collapse, but he knew he should head to see his cardiologist right away.'
The operation was carried out by Craig Smith, the heart surgeon who performed a 2004 heart bypass on Mr Clinton.
In 2004, he had a quadruple heart bypass at the same hospital. Doctors then found four major blood vessels that supply oxygen to the heart were blocked, some by as much as 90%.
High cholesterol and a love of fast food like McDonald's hamburgers were regarded as the likely culprits.
Since the surgery, he went back to his active life, campaigning for his wife's presidential campaign and remaining heavily involved in his charity and humanitarian efforts.
It is understood that one of the bypass grafts from the 2004 operation had become obstructed, making it necessary for two stents to clear the artery.
In a statement, Mr Clinton's spokesman Douglas Band said: 'Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries.
'President Clinton is in good spirits, and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts.'
It is understood that one of the bypass grafts from the 2004 operation had become obstructed, making it necessary for two stents to clear the artery.
Health experts described the procedure as 'relatively routine'. Mr Clinton was expected to return to his home in Chappaqua in upstate New York to rest soon after the procedure.
There was speculation last night that Mr Clinton's work as a special U.S. ambassador to Haiti may have exacerbated his heart problem.
Since the surgery he had returned to his active life, campaigning for his wife's presidential bid and remaining heavily involved in his charity and humanitarian efforts.
In a statement last night, Mr Clinton's spokesman Douglas Band said: 'Following a visit to his cardiologist, he underwent a procedure to place two stents in one of his coronary arteries.
'President Clinton is in good spirits, and will continue to focus on the work of his Foundation and Haiti's relief and long-term recovery efforts.'
Mrs Clinton was expected to cancel or delay a planned diplomatic trip to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
In 2001, shortly after his presidency ended, Mr Clinton had a cancerous growth removed from his back.
A pre-cancerous lesion was removed from his nose, and a year before that had a benign cyst taken off his chest.
------
-----
0 comments:
Post a Comment