Blair undergoes Heart Surgery today

[Vanhalen 0]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3705684.stm

 

Tony Blair has been admitted to Hammersmith Hospital in west London where he will undergo a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat.

The prime minister will be under local anaesthetic to treat the "flutters", from which he also suffered last year.

 

He said he felt "fine" as he left Downing Street at 0705 BST on Friday.

 

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Blair said he still intended to serve a full third term in office if elected but had no intention of serving a fourth term.

 

The procedure to be performed on Mr Blair is called catheter ablation - a technique which thousands of patients in the UK undergo each year, according to British Heart Foundation cardiologist Professor John Camm.

 

A wire is inserted through veins into the heart cavity allowing doctors to "map" the rhythm disorder, he said. The wire is then manoeuvred next to that point and pulses of energy are sent down it which should correct the heart's rhythm.

 

Mr Blair 's cardiologist says the procedure is surgical. Patients usually spend the night in hospital and are back at work within two to three days.

 

Mr Blair has revelled in fit image

 

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott played down the importance of the hospital treatment and said Mr Blair was someone who "bounced back".

 

"It is quite clear from what the cardiologist says that this is a kind of regular procedure that they use and he should be back home tonight or at the latest tomorrow [saturday] morning," Mr Prescott told the BBC Breakfast programme.

 

He added that Mr Blair had announced his intention to serve a full third term to quell "vote Blair get Brown" speculation.

 

"He has made his position absolutely clear ... he will be a very effective prime minister right to the time he went," said Mr Prescott.

 

On Wednesday Mr Blair described his condition as "not particularly alarming".

 

"I've actually had it for the last couple of months and it's obviously not impeded me doing my work," he told BBC political editor Andrew Marr.

 

But Mr Blair insisted he could still make a "real contribution" to the country.

 

He said: "If I am elected I would serve a full third term. I do not want to serve a fourth term.

 

"I don't think the British people would want a prime minister to go on that long but I think it's sensible to make plain my intention now."

 

But Mr Blair went on to say Gordon Brown would be "very capable" of being prime minister.

 

"I don't think it rules Gordon out in any shape or form at all - he'd be younger than many prime ministers have been if he took over at the end of a third term," he said.

 

Marr later described Mr Blair's announcement of his intention to serve a third term as "quite extraordinary".

 

"It sends a very, very clear message to all his critics in the party, including to those people called Brownites, that he intends to be there for a very long time," he said.

 

Tory leader Michael Howard said: "I am sorry to hear about the prime minister's ill health. I wish him well and a speedy recovery."

 

'War of succession'

 

Tory co-chairman Liam Fox also wished the prime minister well.

 

But he added that Mr Blair's decision not to seek a fourth term, if he won a third, meant those in Labour with leadership ambitions would be lining up to bid for the position.

 

"Now we are going to have the entire Cabinet under starter's orders in the next Parliament, and that is going to be very destabilising - a perpetual war of succession," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme.

 

"It means the Labour Party's personal ambitions will be put before the ambitions of the British people, and that would be tragic."

 

Meanwhile, Downing Street confirmed the Blairs have bought a new home in London's exclusive Connaught Square, reported to be worth £3.5m.

[Guest INXS]

It's only a very basic procedure but some aspects of the media are playing tihs up as it's major heart surgery or something. He'll be very lucky if he got a 3rd term...

[Guest SP-1]

It's only a very basic procedure but some aspects of the media are playing tihs up as it's major heart surgery or something. He'll be very lucky if he got a 3rd term...

It's heart surgery, not the flu. Anytime you go poking around a major organ it's a fairly risky business.

 

Sad to see his career seemingly go down like this. No good deed goes unpunished, I guess.

[Guest INXS]

It's not heart surgey in the way that you may be thinking - his chest isn't going to be opened up. A wire is going to be inserted towards his heart via his groin, where the doctor will poke around and fix the irregularity. The procedure carries very little risk indeed.

[Guest SP-1]

Interesting.

 

Wait. Via the groin?!

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Ewww, that made me do a double take.

 

Through the pee-hole?!...

[Guest GreatOne]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

Yeah right, nothing major about that..................

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

I think I'd rather have my chest opened up instead...

[Renegade 0]

And he's back.

[Guest BDC]

They insert through the major arteries in the leg to reach it, not through your naughty bits.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Doesn't matter -- I already pictured it in my mind.

 

*cries...*

[Guest INXS]

Blair came home this afternoon, walking, dressed, talking to reporters - was a very minor procedure! Shame it wasn't thru his pee hole tho!