Graham Stable After Heart Surgery
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WASHINGTON — Florida Democratic Sen. Bob Graham, who put his potential presidential candidacy on hold because he needed heart surgery, underwent a successful operation Friday to replace a deteriorating valve.
Doctors at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., said Graham was in stable condition in the cardiac intensive-care unit.
“Sen. Graham’s surgery went well and was an uncomplicated procedure,” Dr. John Eisold, the attending physician for Congress, said on behalf of the medical team in a statement released by Graham’s office. “He is resting comfortably. We anticipate a full recovery.”
Graham, 66, is former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a former Florida governor.
He had planned to announce in early February whether he would make a bid for the White House, but he has said he would delay a decision four to six weeks while recovering. Graham has been an outspoken critic of White House policy on terrorism.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Alan Speir of Annandale, Va. Speir replaced Graham’s aortic valve with a heart valve from a cow.
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