Cardinal George has cancer surgery, second operation to stop bleeding

Published: 2006-07-28

CHICAGO (CNS) -- After five hours of surgery to remove his cancerous bladder July 27, Chicago Cardinal Francis E. George was brought back into the operating room late that night to repair a small blood vessel in his pelvis that was bleeding. A notice from his medical team July 28 said, "Although the episode of postoperative bleeding represents a complication ... it is not an unusual occurrence and is not expected to have a significant impact on Cardinal George's recovery." The notice was posted on www.luhs.org -- the Web site of Loyola University Medical Center, where the surgery took place. The second surgery, which began shortly before midnight, lasted two hours, the notice said. It said Dr. Robert Flanigan, who conducted the first surgery, also did the second with the assistance of Dr. Fred Luchette, chief of Loyola's Surgical Intensive Care Unit. It said the decision to return to the operating room was prompted by signs of unstable blood pressure and a drop in blood count even though the cardinal had received blood transfusions. After the bleeding was stopped, "the cardinal stabilized," it said. "He tolerated the operation well and is resting comfortably this morning."

Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .