Austin was hospitalized due to complications from prostate cancer surgery

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III was hospitalized this past week due to complications after undergoing surgery for prostate cancer, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center said in a statement Tuesday.

A hospital official said Mr. Austin was admitted on Jan. 1 with severe abdominal, hip and leg pain after what the hospital described as a minor prostate cancer procedure the week before. The Minister of Defense was placed in intensive care, where excess abdominal fluid was drained.

Since then, “his infection has resolved,” according to Dr. John Maddox and Dr. Gregory Chesnut of Walter Reed.

The doctors described Mr Austin’s operation, called a prostatectomy, as a ‘minimally invasive surgical procedure’. Mr Austin’s prostate cancer was detected early and his prognosis was “excellent”, they said.

The Secretary of Defense is very private and guarded about his medical problems. He has refused to reveal why he was in hospital for more than a week. The topic has been a topic of intense interest since Friday, when the Pentagon first publicly announced that he had been in the hospital for four days.

Mr. Austin’s hospitalization had been concealed from the White House and President Biden for three days. Pentagon officials informed the White House on Thursday that the Defense Secretary had been hospitalized.

The secrecy has drawn criticism, especially from lawmakers, who were only informed on Friday.

Mr. Biden has said he maintains his confidence in Mr. Austin.