Buchanan’s Gallbladder Is Removed

Reform Party presidential candidate Pat Buchanan successfully had his gallbladder surgically removed, his sister said Friday.

Buchanan was admitted to Washington Hospital Center Thursday after experiencing repeated episodes of stomach pain during the last few months, according to his sister, Bay Buchanan.

Buchanan had known he had gallstones, and was waiting until after the November election to have them removed. But after an episode of discomfort last week, he decided to have the gallstones removed. During the surgery, doctors decided to remove the entire gallbladder.

He is expected to return home today to continue recuperating, hospital spokesman Leroy Pinder said. Buchanan’s doctors anticipate a speedy and complete recovery, his sister said.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped sac beneath the liver where bile, a liquid produced by the liver to help break down fats during digestion, is stored. Disease is frequently characterized by gallstones, which can grow up to an inch across and cause severe abdominal pain.