Sen. Tim Johnson from South Dakota has gallbladder surgery; surgeon says procedure went well

US senator Johnson from SD has gallbladder surgery

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota was resting in a Sioux Falls hospital on Tuesday after having his gallbladder removed earlier in the day, his staff said.

Johnson, 63, was admitted to Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center on Sunday with a high fever that doctors said might be have been caused by a reaction to an antibiotic. Tests on Monday night determined the problem was his gallbladder.

Surgeon Donald J. Wingert said the surgery went “exceedingly well.” It was done laparoscopically, a technique that uses small incisions and images displayed on TV monitors that is less invasive than traditional surgery.

“The senator is resting comfortably. All our findings point to the gallbladder as the primary problem, but it is still possible that he is having some lingering effects from the antibiotic drug reaction. We will keep the senator in the hospital a few more days for observation,” Wingert said in a written statement.

The gallbladder stores bile produced by the liver, and it releases the bile after meals to help digest fats. Removal of the gallbladder typically causes no health problems, and people are usually able to resume normal activities in a week or 10 days.

Doctors have said they do not believe Johnson’s current ailments are related to a life-threatening brain hemorrhage he suffered about four years ago. He underwent emergency surgery in December 2006 after bleeding caused by veins and blood vessels that grew tangled and burst. After speech and physical therapy, he returned to the Senate in September 2007 and won re-election in 2008.

In a statement, Johnson’s wife, Barb, thanked friends and supporters for their prayers. “Tim is in good hands and good spirits,” she said.

Julianne Fisher, the senator’s communications director, said Johnson was awake and alert Tuesday afternoon after the late-morning surgery.

The senator’s schedule for the rest of the congressional summer recess is uncertain, she said. He had planned a number of stops in South Dakota this week.

“It kind of wiped out the schedule for the week. We’ll kind of see how it goes from here,” Fisher said.