Inos undergoes open-heart surgery

U.S mainland doctors had determined that Gov. Eloy S. Inos required an open-heart surgery following a non-invasive procedure last week, which will prevent the CNMI governor from returning to work for the next few months as he recovers from the surgery, according to an Inos spokesman and acting governor Ralph DLG Torres yesterday.

Press secretary Ivan Blanco corrected yesterday the administration’s earlier report that Inos had undergone an “endoscopic” procedure. He said Inos underwent an “echocardiogram” on Thursday, which he described as non-invasive. The procedure tells doctors “what needs to be done,” Blanco said.

“The good news is he pulled through the surgery,” Blanco told Saipan Tribune yesterday. “Now, it’s the observation and recovery stage.”

Several months ago, Inos underwent continuing examinations and medical treatments following his heart operation in the Philippines last summer, said a statement from Torres yesterday.

The statement said additional procedures were delayed in part because the governor wanted to return to Saipan to attend to the recovery efforts after Typhoon Soudelor.

Inos underwent additional surgery related to his heart operation and “today, we can announce that the surgery was successful,” Torres said.

“…But Governor Inos is still in the hospital and undergoing close observation and intensive care. The recovery process will require Governor Inos to undergo lengthy therapy and he is not expected to return to the Northern Marianas until late December or early January 2016.”

Torres said he is in frequent communication with Governor Inos’ family members who are by his bedside in the United States and asked everyone to keep the governor in their hearts and prayers during this time of recovery and healing.

“Many of us have family members or friends who have undergone heart surgery in the past and there always exists concern and worry about the recovery process. Recovery from heart surgery is slow and difficult, but I think we can all hope and pray for Governor Inos’ speedy recovery,” Torres said in his statement.

“I wish him a speedy recovery,” Sen. Jude Hofschneider (R-Tinian), former lieutenant governor under Inos told Saipan Tribune yesterday. “I will pray for him and continue to pray for the best of health.”

“I urge the community to pray for him and keep him in your prayers at all times as he continues to recover from his medical procedure,” he said.

Inos suffers from diabetes and undergoes dialysis at the Commonwealth Health Center thrice a week. Last January, Inos was confined to the hospital due to symptoms of pneumonia. Months earlier in November 2014, Inos’ health was a talking point during the 2014 general elections and subsequent runoff.

In November 2014, Inos disclosed that his medical leave to Manila that month was for a follow up to a bypass heart surgery he had in 2006.