Rice’s Surgery Successful
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WASHINGTON — Condoleezza Rice, President Bush’s choice to be the next secretary of State, underwent surgery Friday to treat noncancerous growths in her uterus, a White House official said.
The national security advisor underwent uterine fibroid embolization at Georgetown University Hospital, and it appeared to be successful with no complications, said Jim Wilkinson, a deputy national security advisor.
“So far things are fine,” said the interventional radiologist who performed the surgery, Dr. James B. Spies. “It’s been very routine and a success technically.”
Rice, 50, was given a sedative, not a general anesthetic, Spies said.
Patients experience discomfort after the procedure, so they are routinely kept in the hospital overnight, he said.
Uterine fibroid embolization blocks blood flow to fibroids, noncancerous tumors in the uterus. For some women it is an alternative to hysterectomy.
Rice was scheduled to go home today.
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