Melania Trump 'in good spirits' after treatment for serious kidney conditions

First Lady: Melania Trump is said to be 'in good spirits'
AFP/Getty Images
David Gardner15 May 2018

Donald Trump said today that his wife Melania was in “good spirits” following a health scare sparked by a serious kidney condition.

After visiting the First Lady in hospital, the president tweeted that her treatment was a success.

Melania, 48, had an embolisation to treat a benign kidney condition, according to her spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham. “The procedure was successful, there were no complications,” the White House said.

The president was not at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, when his wife had surgery yesterday morning. He flew by helicopter to be at her bedside today.

President Donald Trump leaves the White House to visit his wife
AFP/Getty Images

“Heading over to Walter Reed Medical Center to see our great First Lady, Melania,” he tweeted.

“Successful procedure, she is in good spirits. Thank you to all of the well-wishers!”

The hospital visit was shrouded in secrecy, with no statement in advance. He spent about an hour there then re-turned to Washington. Sources said Mr Trump phoned his wife before and after the operation.

Embolisation is most often used to block blood to a tumour. US urologists said the most likely explanation was a non-cancerous kidney tumour called an angiomyolipoma.

“The First Lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere,” the White House said. Melania is expected to be in the hospital until the weekend, the longest for a First Lady since Nancy Reagan spent about a week there after a 1987 mastectomy. In 2006, Laura Bush had surgery to remove skin cancer.

Melania Trump - In pictures

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Vice-president Mike Pence stood in for Mr Trump at an event in Washington marking the 70th anniversary of Israel’s independence. “The president asked me to be here tonight because ... the First Lady underwent a long-planned medical procedure. I’m pleased to report the procedure was a success and Melania is already on the mend,” he said.

It was announced today that former Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid, 78, has had surgery for pancreatic cancer.

His family said surgeons at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore were “confident the surgery was a success”.

Republican senator John McCain, 81, battling brain cancer, tweeted: “From one cantankerous senator to another, sending my prayers and best wishes.”

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