Bush ‘Fine’ After Surgeons Remove Cyst From Finger

Surgeons cut deeply into the middle finger of President Bush’s right hand Friday and removed a small cyst in a procedure that White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater said was “entirely successful.”

The President underwent the minor surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington and then flew by helicopter to Camp David, Md., for the Columbus Day weekend.

Appears Benign

Dr. Burton Lee III, the White House physician, said although the cyst appeared to be benign, a pathological examination of the material removed from the finger would be conducted. By definition, such “mucoid cysts” are not malignant, physicians said.

“Feels fine,” the President said of his finger after the 25-minute procedure. “They . . . went right deep down into the--near the bone apparently--but I think the doctor felt it was a good thing to do. But it’s real minor and it’s healed.

“I’m out of some sports for a few days, but other than that it’s fine, just fine,” said Bush, who is left-handed, as he emerged from the hospital.

Mucus Under Skin

A mucoid cyst is a formation of mucus growing under the skin. It developed over the past three years near the joint nearest the tip of the President’s middle finger. It was approximately one centimeter in diameter, Fitzwater said.

The operation was conducted under a local anesthetic that numbed the entire finger. The “digital nerve block” was expected to wear off by late afternoon, and pain medication was prescribed if needed, Fitzwater said in a written statement.

A 1 1/2-inch incision was made at the top of the finger to reach the cyst, and eight stitches were made to close the wound. They will be removed in about two weeks, and the President will wear a splint on the finger for two to three weeks, the press secretary said.

Impairment Not Expected

No long-term impairment of the movement of the finger was expected.

The surgery was conducted by Dr. Allen Smith, a colonel in the Army medical corps and chief of hand surgery at Walter Reed, and by Dr. George Bogumill, chief of hand surgery at Georgetown University Hospital. The anesthetic was administered by Dr. Charles Gandy, an Army lieutenant colonel stationed at Walter Reed.

The Problem: A mucoid cyst had filled with bursa fluid, pressing on the root of the fingernail and causing deformity and discomfort.

The Procedure: Doctors made an incision along the length of the cyst, tunneling down to the root of the cyst. The finger will be in a splint for two to three weeks.