Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin has been hospitalized since the beginning of January due to complications after prostate cancer surgery according to the Pentagon. According to a statement from his doctors provided by The Pentagon, the surgery caused infection and he had to be hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Austin’s doctors, John Maddox and Gregory Chestnut revealed in a statement that his surgery took place on December 22. The procedure went well, but he was under general anesthesia. “The cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent,” said the physicians.
After returning home on December 23, the 70-year-old began having acute hip and leg pain as well as nausea on January 1. He was then required to return to the hospital.
Austin’s ICU stay unveils urinary tract infection complications
Austin was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was sent to the intensive care unit for “close monitoring and a higher level of care,” according to the statement. Later, doctors discovered he had “abdominal fluid collections impairing the function of his small intestines.”
“This resulted in the backup of his intestinal contents which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach,” the officials added. “The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement. He has progressed steadily throughout his stay.”
On Tuesday, January 9, officials said that Austin’s “infection has cleared” and that “he continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process.” They added that when Austin was hospitalized, he “never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia.”
The Pentagon was heavily chastised for taking three days to notify the White House and other defense officials about the hospitalization. Questions were raised about how the military chief could be gone for so long without telling senior members of the administration.