In the absence of a formal report from the medical team who treated President Hug Chavez of Venezuela, we are providing this information to explain his illness, its management and provide prognostic assessment devoid of political agendas.
President Chavez has been known to have blood in his bowel movements as far back as November 2010. He is routinely cared fro by the same team of physicians who have treated and follow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. The medical team recommended to Chavez to undergo a colonoscopic exam. However, for reasons that are outside the scope of this report, he repeatedly refused. He refused to the point that the physicians caring for him discussed the matter with Fidel Castro. They asked the Cuban dictator to intervene and advise Chavez to accept the colonoscopic exam. Chavez did not accept the recommendation.
In June 2011, while in the island for various reasons, non medical, Chavez again was noted to have symptoms of colonic disease. Castro advised him again, and this time, Chavez accepted the colonoscopy.
The preparation for the procedure was uneventfully. Chavez drank all laxative solutions as directed. However, the study performed, colonoscopy, resulted in the finding of one or more polyps, some probably large, and biopsies were performed. The appearance of the polyps is not known, but after this “first surgery” the media reported that Chavez had no malignancy.
One day later, Chavez complained of increasing pain in the abdomen, fear ensued. A second examination was performed and a bowel perforation with an incipient pelvic abscess diagnosed. He was immediately taken back the operating room. At that time, the segment of colon ruptured, where the suspicious polyp was located, was removed totally. An end to end anastomosis was performed since the bowel had been cleaned for the previous operation (colonoscopy).
The surgical postoperative period was serious but no critical. Chavez improved steadily and soon thereafter began tweeting.
He then made his triumphal appearance in Caracas, and the rest is history.
In summary, Chavez has a complicated colocoscopic exam, an emergency partial colonic resection – where a very low grade malignancy may have been found – and a stormy but eventually uneventful recovery.
He does not have signs of metastatic disease, there was no tumor that perforated the colon or any hallow viscous, or pathology to suggest that his immediate future plans should be changed.
We challenge medical authorities in Cuba and Venezuela to reveal medical data relevant to this statement.
