Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa underwent surgery for an incarcerated hernia on Monday evening after feeling unwell while returning from a funeral in Porto.
The president was admitted to the University Hospital of São João in Porto on Monday afternoon following digestive issues after returning from a funeral, according to statements published on the Portuguese presidency's website.
Presidency doctors decided that, before returning to Lisbon, Rebelo de Sousa should undergo medical examinations. The Portuguese president was then admitted to hospital, where he was operated on.
The surgery "went well" with no complications, Maria João Baptista, president of the hospital's Board of Directors, told domestic media.
She said it was important the president had been operated on immediately, as incarcerated hernias can cause complications if not treated promptly. "If the blood stops circulating, that tissue dies and it may be necessary to remove part of the intestine," she said.
If recovery proceeds normally, hospitalisation time will be relatively short and Rebelo de Sousa's condition is being closely monitored, Baptista said. He is expected to remain hospitalised for two days.
Elisabete Barbosa, the clinical and medical director who followed the surgery, said Rebelo de Sousa will now need to rest and no further complications are expected.
The Presidency reported on Monday night that Rebelo de Sousa was "awake and in good spirits" following the operation.
Fernando Frutuoso de Melo, head of the Civil House — a body that supports the presidency — told journalists the Portuguese president's schedule for the coming days had been cancelled.
On Monday morning, Rebelo de Sousa had presided over the 1 December celebrations in Lisbon's Praça dos Restauradores, marking the Restoration of Independence in 1640.
