U.S. Sen. John Boozman’s office reports he’s responding well following heart surgery Tuesday in Rogers. His staff reported the emergency surgery was for an aortic dissection, or a tear in the aorta.

His office issued the following statement:

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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) remains in recovery following successful heart surgery at Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Arkansas.

Boozman, 63, was taken to the hospital early yesterday morning, by his wife Cathy, after suffering pain in his chest and shoulder. He was, at the time of transport, alert, responsive and in good spirits despite the discomfort and pain. After running several tests, doctors diagnosed Boozman with an acute aortic dissection and he was admitted for immediate surgery. The surgeons who performed the operation, which lasted several hours, said that Boozman responded well to the procedure.

Boozman remains hospitalized while doctors continue to monitor his recovery. He is awake and responsive, and doctors are pleased with the progress he has made. His family has been with him and has expressed gratitude for outpouring of support.

The Boozman family released the following statement:

“We appreciate the prayers, kind words and well-wishes that have come from Arkansans and people all across the country. Our number one priority is making sure John makes a full recovery. We are grateful for the excellent care the doctors, nurses and medical staff are providing. They are amazed at how well he has responded and we are anxious for him to begin the next phase of recovery. We know that if John had it his way he would be right back on the road in Arkansas, so the difficult part will be making sure he gets the rest he needs to get better.”

Please direct any questions to Senator Boozman’s official office and respect the family’s privacy at this time. At the family’s request, Mercy Hospital cannot give out his room information or allow visitors.

Says here that an aortic dissection is a tear in the inner wall of the aorta that causes blood to flow between lawyers of the wall of the aorta. It is considered a medical emergency.

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