ATLANTA _ Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was out of surgery Tuesday morning after undergoing a procedure to relieve pressure on his brain from a subdural hematoma.
A spokeswoman for Carter said there were no complications from the surgery at Emory University Hospital. "President Carter will remain in the hospital as long as advisable for observation," said Deanna Congileo.
Carter has been hospitalized three times within a month and four times this year with injuries ranging from a broken hip to a fractured pelvis. When Carter was admitted to the hospital on Monday, Congileo noted that the bleeding was "due to his recent falls." One of those falls happened on Oct. 6, when he tripped and bumped his head.
He suffered a black eye and required 14 stitches.
A subdural hematoma, generally caused by severe head injuries, occurs when a blood vessel near the surface of the brain bursts and blood builds up between the brain and the brain's tough outer lining.
The blood collects beneath the brain's dura mater, the outermost layer of the meninges, the three-layer protective covering of the brain. The bleeding and increased pressure on the brain can be life-threatening and depending on the severity, treatment can range from waiting to surgery.
According to a study by the Harvard Medical School, in young, healthy people, bleeding is usually is triggered by a significant impact, like a car accident.
But in older people, minor trauma, like falling out of a chair, could result in hemorrhaging.
Congileo said that the Carter Center would not comment further on Carter's condition until he is released from the hospital.
"President and Mrs. Carter thank everyone for the many well-wishes they have received," she said.
