FW has another setback
2006-06-13 15:19
Cape Town - Hospitalised former president FW de Klerk has had a second setback after surgery to remove a malignant colon tumour, spokesman Dave Steward said on Tuesday.
Steward said De Klerk developed a "slight infection" in his lungs during the past 24 hours.
"They [doctors] are obviously worried about any infection and are looking for the cause and treating it with appropriate antibiotics," Steward said.
De Klerk remains in the intensive care unit of Cape Town's Panaroma medi-clinic and his condition is stable.
Steward said De Klerk remained on a ventilator and his statement on Monday that he had been taken off the ventilator had been as a result of a misunderstanding.
De Klerk has been under sedation since for approximately a week, since a relapse on Wednesday past.
He developed respiratory complications after an operation to remove the cancerous tumour.
His wife Elita and his children from a previous marriage, Jan, Willem and daughter Suzanne, have been constant companions at his side.
- SAPA