MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay: Mujica discharged from hospital

Mujica feels more comfortable at his home than hospitalized, Pannone explained

Former Uruguayan President José Pepe Mujica was discharged Sunday from a Montevideo Casmu sanatorium after undergoing a surgical procedure Friday during which a stent was placed in his esophagus to enable oral feeding, which had been hindered as a side effect of the radiotherapy treatment for cancer. On April 29, Mujica announced that he had a tumor in his esophagus.

Mujica's head physician Raquel Pannone confirmed that the former head of state would continue his recovery at his Rincón del Cerro home. Mujica was also said to be better and evolving well, without nausea, and already tolerating the ingestion of liquids orally
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Pannone was also quoted as saying that the device was well-positioned to increase the esophageal lumen. She also mentioned that the 89-year-old leftwing leader felt “much more comfortable at home than hospitalized in the sanatorium,” so it was possible to send him home “to be more comfortable and calmer” after he was deemed medically “stable” and evolving “as expected.” Mujica's health is to improve gradually, Pannone also hoped.

”The stent is still being deployed because it takes 48 to 72 hours (for) the deployment to be completed. The first few hours he was in more discomfort, now he has practically none, they are minimal, that is why we allowed him to leave,“ she also explained.

In the doctor's words, a stent ”is a prosthesis..., a device that is placed inside the esophagus, which self-expands.“ Pannone also pointed out that ”this device, which is metallic, adheres to the walls of the esophagus and remains there, widening the esophageal lumen and allowing the passage of food.”