Bad hiccups, but no immediate surgery for Brazil's President
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is hospitalized after suffering from hiccups for ten days straight – three years after he was stabbed in the stomach
- Bolsonaro, 66, was admitted to the Armed Forces Hospital in the capital of Brasilia where physicians are examining his persistent hiccups
- Doctors, however, said they would not operate immediately
- Bolsonaro’s former surgeon, who operated on him after he was stabbed in the abdomen in 2018, decided to transfer him to Sao Paulo
- The 2018 stabbing caused intestinal damage and serious internal bleeding and the president has gone through several surgeries since
- Chronic hiccups are usually the manifestation of an underlying problem, such as an obstructed intestine, that might require surgery, said Dr. Anthony Lembo
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was admitted to a hospital for intestinal obstruction, after experiencing hiccups for 10 straight days.
Bolsonaro, 66, was admitted to the Armed Forces Hospital in the capital of Brasilia and was ‘feeling well,’ according to an initial statement that said physicians were examining his persistent hiccups.
Doctors, however, said they would not operate immediately.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro (pictured) was admitted to a hospital for intestinal obstruction, after experiencing hiccups for 10 straight days
Bolsonaro, who is both Catholic and evangelical, posted a photo of himself on Twitter, lying on a hospital bed, eyes closed, several monitoring sensors stuck to his bare torso.
Bolonaro was admitted to the Armed Forces Hospital in the capital of Brasilia Wednesday and was ‘feeling well,’ according to an initial statement that said physicians were examining his persistent hiccups
Presidential plane transporting Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro arrives at Congonhas Airport in Sao Paulo
Bolsonaro’s office said the surgeon who operated on the president after he being stabbed in the abdomen during a 2018 presidential campaign, decided to transfer him to Sao Paulo, where he underwent additional tests.
The stabbing caused intestinal damage and serious internal bleeding and the president has gone through several surgeries since, some unrelated to the attack.
By Wednesday night, the Hospital Nova Star released a statement saying the president would receive ‘a conservative clinical treatment,’ meaning he will not undergo surgery for the time being.
Bolsonaro, who is both Catholic and evangelical, posted a photo of himself on Twitter, lying on a hospital bed, eyes closed, several monitoring sensors stuck to his bare torso.
At the edge of the photo, a hand reaches out from an unseen person wearing what appears to be a black religious robe and a long chain with a gold cross.
In recent weeks, Bolsonaro appeared to struggle with speaking on various occasions and said he suffers from recurring hiccups.
A supporter wearing a T-shirt with the likeness of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and text that reads ¨My President,¨ in Portuguese, takes part in vigil in front of the Armed Forces Hospital where the President has been admitted, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, July 14, 2021
Supporters of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro take part in vigil in front of the Armed Forces Hospital where he has been admitted, in Brasilia, Brazil, Wednesday, July 14, 2021.
‘I apologize to everyone who is listening to me, because I’ve been hiccupping for five days now,’ the president said in an interview with Radio Guaiba on July 7.
He suggested medications prescribed after dental surgery might be the culprit.
‘I have the hiccups 24 hours a day,’ he added.
The following day, during his weekly Facebook Live session, Bolsonaro apologized again for not being able to express himself due to the weeklong hiccups.
Chronic hiccups are usually the manifestation of an underlying problem, such as an obstructed intestine, that might require surgery, said Dr. Anthony Lembo, a gastroenterologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
In some cases, part of the intestine might need to be removed, he said.
‘Any time you´re moving bowels, it’s not a small surgery,’ Lembo said, adding that in the case of repeated surgeries, as in Bolsonaro´s case, interventions get more complicated.
WHAT ARE HICCUPS?
Hiccups occur when the diaphragm suddenly and involuntarily contracts, resulting in a hiccup sound being produced at the top of the windpipe.
Hiccups are a reflex action, which means we do not have control over them.
While short bouts are common and harmless, those that last longer than 48 hours are known as persistent hiccups – and sufferers should contact their doctor to see if there is an underlying condition.
In rare cases hiccups last longer than a month – known as intractable hiccups.
They can be caused by emotional stress, eating too fast, and drinking alcohol.
In rare cases they can be caused by an underlying condition, such as acid reflux or medications such as steroids.
However, sometimes a cause can’t be pinpointed.
Remedies for short-term hiccups include sipping iced water, biting on a lemon, drawing the knees up to compress the chest and controlled breathing.
Source: patient.co.uk
Bolsonaro has been under growing pressure from a congressional inquiry into his administration’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and alleged corruption in the acquisition of COVID-19 vaccines.
Recent polls have shown record-low approval ratings and indications that he could lose next year’s election.
On Tuesday night, in a 20-minute encounter with the president in Brasilia, supporters repeatedly asked him to look after his health.
Meanwhile, Brazil is bracing for a third wave of Covid-19 as winter approaches amid a slow vaccine roll-out with Bolsonaro unwilling to impose lockdowns.
Bolsonaro’s popularity has plummeted during the Covid-19 pandemic, as Brazil braces for a third wave amid slow vaccine roll-out, and an unwillingness to impose lockdowns.
The pandemic has killed more 462,791 Brazilians as the far-right leader played down its severity, dismissed mask wearing and cast doubt on the importance of vaccines
Just over a fifth of Brazilians have received a first dose, while 11 per cent have been fully vaccinated. This compares with 60 per cent of Britons with a first dose, and 41 per cent double-jabbed.
The sprawling country of 212 million has largely gone back to business as usual as it records an average of around 1,600 daily deaths, around half the number of the devastating peak in April, but experts claim warning lights are flashing again.
Epidemiologists blame Bolsonaro for promoting a complacent attitude, telling Brazilians in March to stop ‘whining and crying’ about Covid, and ploughing ahead with plans to host the Copa America football tournament next month.
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