Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which is why he went into surgery in December and eventually the intensive care unit last week due to an infection. President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan were not informed of Austin's planned surgery, which has been classified as "elective" by the Pentagon, or his stay in the hospital. He remains at Walter Reed Medical Center where he is recovering.
"As part of Secretary Austin's routinely recommended health screening, he has undergone regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) surveillance. Changes in his laboratory evaluation in early December 2023 identified prostate cancer which required treatment. On December 22, 2023, after consultation with his medical team, he was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and underwent a minimally invasive surgical procedure called a prostatectomy to treat and cure prostate cancer. He was under general anesthesia during this procedure. Secretary Austin recovered uneventfully from his surgery and returned home the next morning. His prostate cancer was detected early, and his prognosis is excellent," Walter Reed's Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnut released in a statement Tuesday.
"On January Ist, 2024, Secretary Austin was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with complications from the December 22 procedure, including nausea with severe abdominal, hip, and leg pain. Initial evaluation revealed a urinary tract infection. On January 2, the decision was made to transfer him to the ICU for close monitoring and a higher level of care. Further evaluation revealed abdominal fluid collections impairing the function of his small intestines," the statement contiues. "This resulted in the back up of his intestinal contents which was treated by placing a tube through his nose to drain his stomach. The abdominal fluid collections were drained by non-surgical drain placement. He has progressed steadily throughout his stay. His infection has cleared. He continues to make progress and we anticipate a full recovery although this can be a slow process. During this stay, Secretary Austin never lost consciousness and never underwent general anesthesia."
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In the meantime, the White House and Department of Defense are reviewing protocols for how to report the absence of a Cabinet official.
The Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense released a Memo today calling for a Review of the “Facts and Circumstances” regarding the recent Hospitalization of Defense Secretary, Lloyd Austin who was admitted into the Intensive Care Unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical… pic.twitter.com/hh8sOPryxn
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 9, 2024
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