Thai king has gall bladder removed
Doctors satisfied with outcome of surgery, two days after ailing monarch was rushed to hospital
Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej has had his gall bladder removed, the palace said yesterday, two days after the 86-year-old was rushed to hospital, sparking fears for his health in the politically turbulent nation.
The world's longest-serving monarch was driven from his coastal palace to Bangkok's Siriraj hospital with a fever on Friday evening. He had an increased heart rate, and blood tests showed signs of an infection.
The Royal Household Bureau said in a statement yesterday that additional testing, including a CAT scan, had shown that the king's "gall bladder was inflamed and very swollen".
The statement said doctors who performed the 75-minute laparoscopic operation on Sunday night were "satisfied" with the outcome, and his condition was "improving".
"His majesty's heartbeat has slowed down... his blood pressure is in the normal range and his temperature is lower," it said.
Bhumibol, who has suffered from numerous ailments in recent years, is treated as a near-deity in Thailand and his health is a subject of great public concern.