The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had been hospitalized for several days without telling the president, the national security adviser, the vice president's advisers, or members of Congress. It was revealed that he was undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.
Austin underwent a “minimally invasive surgical procedure called prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer,” which was discovered in early December, according to a Pentagon statement released Tuesday.
WATCH — CNN's Phillip: The White House didn't tell us about Austin's secret hospitalization while US troops were under attack:
According to the announcement, he was under general anesthesia during the surgery, but recovered uneventfully and returned home the next morning.
However, on Monday, January 1, 2024, Austin suffered complications from the surgery, resulting in severe abdominal, hip and leg pain and nausea, the statement said.
“Initial tests revealed a urinary tract infection. On January 2, the decision was made to transfer him to the ICU for close monitoring and a higher level of care,” the statement said.
From there his condition became more serious.
“Further tests revealed that the function of the small intestine was impaired due to the accumulation of ascites.As a result, the contents of the intestines were refluxing, and a tube was inserted through the nose to drain the contents of the stomach. The ascitic fluid collection was drained by non-surgical drain placement.''
The statement indicated that Austin was still hospitalized.
“He has made steady progress during his stay. His infection has cleared up. He continues to make progress and we hope for a full recovery, although it may take some time.” “During his stay there, Director Austin never lost consciousness and never received general anesthesia.”
“His prostate cancer… If detected early, the prognosis is good.”
The statement continued: “Prostate cancer is the most common cause of cancer in American men, affecting 1 in 8 men and 1 in 6 African American men during their lifetime. ” he added.
The Pentagon initially described Austin's first surgery as “elective.”
Pentagon spokesman Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement on Jan. 5 that he was first disclosing Austin's hospitalization to the public. “On the evening of January 1st, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center due to complications from a recent accident. selective Medical procedure. He is recovering well and is scheduled to resume full duty today. The Deputy Secretary of Defense was always prepared to act on behalf of the Secretary of Defense and exercise his authority as required. ”
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