4th Surgery for Brazil’s Leader
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SAO PAULO, Brazil — President-elect Tancredo Neves underwent hernia surgery today, the 75-year-old lawyer’s fourth operation in less than three weeks.
“Given the clinical signs demonstrated by the patient this morning and from additional exams, it was decided to submit the president-elect to a new operation,” a hospital report said.
“The operation is to treat an old groin hernia which became strangulated,” the report said. Neves’ condition was not immediately known.
Neves was operated on March 15 for an inflammation of the colon on the eve of his inauguration as Brazil’s first civilian president in 21 years. Vice President Jose Sarney was sworn into office and has been serving as acting president.
Doctors in the capital of Brasilia operated on Neves six days later to clear a blocked intestine.
Neves was then flown 600 miles to the more modern Das Clinicas hospital in Sao Paulo, where he underwent a third operation to stop internal bleeding.
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