US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was recently hospitalised with a urinary tract infection following a December surgical procedure to treat prostate cancer, the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center said on Tuesday.
The disclosure came days after the Pentagon faced public backlash over its secrecy about the Austin hospitalisation, with even President Joe Biden and Austin’s own deputy reportedly kept in the dark for days.
Austin is second only to the president in the command structure of the US military and is expected to be ready to handle any national security crisis at any moment.
According to the doctors, the cancer was detected when 70-year-old Austin had a regular screening in early December.
On December 22, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on December 22 and underwent surgery to treat the cancer. He “underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure” and went home the next day, the doctors said.
However, last week, Austin suffered complications from the treatment, including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain. He was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and was moved to an intensive care unit on January 2.
The doctors then said that they discovered Austin 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 said in a statement. “The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement. He has progressed steadily throughout his stay.”
The officials added that Austin’s “infection has cleared” and that he continues to make progress. “We anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process,” they added.
The doctors also pointed out that during his subsequent hospitalisation, Austin never lost consciousness and never underwent general anaesthesia.
On Monday, the White House said that Austin will keep his job, despite the controversy over his delayed disclosure of his hospitalisation last week.
(Inputs from agencies)
Vikram Sharma is a globe-trotting journalist with a global perspective on international events. His articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing insights into the world’s most pressing challenges.
