GMA undergoes third spine surgery

Doctors of former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo decided to push through with her third cervical spine surgery Wednesday morning.

Marilen Lagniton, St. Luke’s Medical Center Vice President for Customers Affairs and spokesperson, told a media briefing that a team led by veteran orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Mario Ver, started the operation on her cervical spine between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. Wednesday.

She said the medical team led by Arroyo’s personal physician, Dr. Juliet Gopez Cervantes, decided to push through with the operation after the absence of fever for the past 24 hours.

Lagniton said the operation was expected to last for at least five hours.

She added that doctors led by Dr. Cervantes will give another media briefing at noon Thursday to give an update on the surgery.

Gloria Arroyo surgery postponed due to fever

The surgery to correct a pinched nerve on former President and incumbent Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s spine scheduled this week will be postponed after she developed a fever last night, her doctors said Monday.

A medical bulletin released by Mrs. Arroyo’s doctors from the St. Luke’s Medical Center in Taguig City said they decided to wait for the former President’s temperature to normalize before pushing through with the operation.

"While there is no contraindication to going ahead with surgery, we want to make sure fever is gone before proceeding with surgery," the medical bulletin read.