Jean Chretien, former Prime Minister of Canada, 73, had quadruple heart bypass surgery on Wednesday at the Montreal Heart Institute. A hospital spokesperson said he is doing well, and added that the family wished for no further comment on his condition.
Chretien had a coronary blockage, surgeons decided to operate before any damage to the heart could happen. He entered hospital on Tuesday and was operated on the following day. He is expected to remain in hospital for the next few days and start his convalescence elsewhere.
During a golf charity event Chretien had commented to his party of four that he had been experiencing intermittent chest pains and shortness of breath. One of the party was Dr. Guy Pelletier, a cardiologist – he told Chretien to get some tests done as soon as possible.
Chretien was determined to postpone any check-ups till after the launching of his latest memoirs. He advised his personal physician that he would consult with him in a couple of months after he had got the launching of his new book out of the way. Apparently, his family wanted him to see the doctor immediately.
Chretien went to bed at a Montreal airport hotel, set to fly to Vancouver the next morning. However, he woke up feeling ill and was taken to hospital. Tests showed he had serious arterial blockage.
Dr. Michel Pellerin performed the 90-minute quadruple bypass operation. Dr. Pellerin said that Chretien was resting comfortably and in good spirits, he added that there had been no complications.
When he was young Chretien suffered an attack of Bell’s palsy, which permanently paralyzed the left side of his face. He once said that he was “One politician who didn’t talk out of both sides of his mouth.”
— Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien – Wikipedia
Written by: Christian Nordqvist