U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin.Photo:Anna Moneymaker/Getty
Anna Moneymaker/Getty
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austinis recovering from complications after surgery for early prostate cancer, the Pentagon has confirmed.
Austin, 70, was admitted into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Dec. 22 for a “minimally invasive surgical procedure” after being diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier in the month, the Pentagon shared in astatementon Tuesday.
“As part of Secretary Austin’s routinely recommended health screening, he has undergone regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) surveillance. Changes in his laboratory evaluation in early December 2023 identified prostate cancer which required treatment,” the Pentagon said.
“He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent.”
Austin, however, returned to the center on Jan. 1 after experiencing “nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain” due to a urinary tract infection, according to the statement. On Jan. 2, he was transferred to the intensive care unit “for close monitoring and a higher level of care.”
The Pentagon added that Austin “has progressed steadily throughout his stay.”
“His infection has cleared. He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process. During this stay, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia,” the statement concluded.
Austin, 70, is recovering in hospital from complications after the surgery.Tasos Katopodis/Getty
Tasos Katopodis/Getty
He said that the Department of Defense is “is also looking at their own procedures to make sure that that doesn’t happen again.”
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During the briefing, Major General Pat Ryder added that he understood that the issue is “deeply personal.”
The defense secretary is currently still in hospital, Ryder said, per ABC News, and he is “in contact with his senior staff and has full access to required secure communications capabilities and continues to monitor dod day-to-day operations.”
“He continues to stay very actively engaged with his senior staff and is making important decisions about national security and defense,” Ryder added.
source: people.com
