Argentina's Kirchner recovering after emergency surgery

Buenos Aires, Feb 8 (EFE).- Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner is recovering favorably after emergency surgery on his carotid artery, the chief surgeon on the case said Monday.

"Fortunately the surgery could be carried out satisfactorily and the patient's recovery bears that out," Victor Caramutti told Radio 10.

He said that Kirchner, 59, spent the night with his wife, current President Cristina Fernandez.

He also said that this kind of operation "is for the purpose of avoiding a cerebrovascular trauma, it's like getting the jump on it, trying to resolve the problem, it's like when a patient's heart is operated on to prevent a heart attack."

"These are routine operations nowadays, they're the product of the society in which we live," Caramutti said.

Fernandez, for her part, is feeling "fine, with the anxiety of any family member, but fine," the doctor told C5N television.

The president, who suspended her official engagements, planned to resume her duties on Monday.

Kirchner must remain 48 hours in the intensive care unit, and once he has been discarged will be able to continue with a "totally normal" life, though "he will have to control his stress as well as he can," according to Dr. Caramutti.

The ex-president, who governed from 2003-2007, was accompanied Sunday at all times by his wife and the couple's two grown sons, and received visits from a small group of dignitaries close to the couple.

Kirchner holds a seat in the lower house of Congress and is chairman of the governing Peronist party.