Populist firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., underwent surgery Tuesday to remove an acute blood clot, and she was subsequently diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome, a rare condition that disrupts blood flow.
Boebert, 37, was admitted to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, after experiencing severe swelling in her upper left leg, her campaign said in a statement posted to Facebook late Tuesday.
She underwent a CT scan, during which doctors found the clot.
Boebert then had surgery to remove the clot and doctors inserted a stent to address the congresswoman’s symptoms.
There, she was also diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome, also known as iliac vein compression syndrome. It is described by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) as a rare vascular condition that affects a vein in the pelvis. It occurs when a nearby artery compresses the left iliac vein which brings blood from the pelvis and legs back up to the heart. The compression prevents blood from flowing properly, leading to narrowing and scarring.
Boebert is resting and is expected to make a full recovery. There are no significant concerns regarding her long-term health and the surgery and diagnosis will not impact her ability to perform her duties as a congresswoman, her campaign said.
The two-term congresswoman thanked the hospital staff for their “great care” and for providing “helpful insight” into her diagnosis.
“I’m looking forward to making a full recovery and getting back to Congress to continue fighting for Colorado,” Boebert said in a statement.
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Dr. Rebecca Bade, a hospitalist at the medical facility, said the surgery was a success and that the lawmaker would make a full recovery.
“Patients with May-Thurner syndrome who undergo the procedure to restore blood flow are able to live and work just as they have in the past after a brief recovery,” Bade said.
Her campaign said an exact cause of the condition is not known but that dehydration, travel and extended periods of sitting have all been identified as potential factors in causing her symptoms.
Women between the ages of 20 and 45 who have given birth are also more likely to have May-Thurner syndrome, the campaign said. Boebert has four children.
The news comes as Boebert gears up for a third term in Congress, although she will not be seeking re-election to the state’s 3rd District, which she narrowly won in 2022.
Instead, she is vying for the more GOP-friendly 4th District, which was represented by Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican, from 2015 until his resignation on March 22.
Boebert has already said she is not running for the seat in the June 25 special election which Buck’s resignation triggered. Buck’s resignation saw the GOP House majority slim to 218-213.
