NEW DELHI: Finance and defence minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday underwent gastric bypass surgery for diabetes management at a private hospital here. Doctors said it was a planned surgery, and the 61-year-old BJP leader was recovering well. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in Japan on a five-day visit, called in the evening to enquire about his health, hospital sources said.
Sources said Jaitley, who has been suffering from uncontrolled diabetes for nearly a decade, was admitted to Max Hospital, Saket around 6 pm on Monday. He underwent a series of routine blood and cardiac investigations before the surgery which was done laproscopically, a minimally invasive technique.
The surgery involves stapling the stomach to create small pouch so that a small amount of food helps satiate the appetite. This pouch is connected to the small intestine to lower fat absorption.
