Controversial Republican Lauren Boebert hospitalised and diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome
Lauren Boebert has been diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome, a rare vascular condition that can cause blood clots, after being hospitalised for an urgent surgery. (Getty)
Republican congresswoman Lauren Boebert has undergone emergency surgery to remove a blood clot after being been diagnosed with a rare vascular disorder.
Boebert, well-known for her anti-LGBTQ+ remarks, was taken to a Colorado hospital after experiencing severe swelling in her left leg on Monday (1 April).
Her campaign team said doctors found an acute blood clot and inserted a stent; a tube which keeps an artery open. She was later diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome.
“I’m looking forward to making a full recovery and getting back to congress to continue fighting for Colorado,” Boebert said.
What is May-Thurner syndrome?
May-Thurner syndrome occurs when the left iliac vein, which carries blood from the left leg to the heart, is compressed by the right iliac artery where they cross in the pelvis, according to the Cleveland Clinic. This can impede blood flow to the heart.
Symptoms include swelling, feelings of fullness or heaviness in the legs or feet, varicose veins and venous ulcers or sores on the leg that don’t heal.
Some people with May-Thurner syndrome have no symptoms while others may develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT), when a blood clot forms.
Such clots can break loose and lodge in the lungs, in what’s known as a pulmonary embolism. This can be life-threatening.
May-Thurner syndrome is more common in women and people assigned female at birth as well as in adults ages 20 to 50, the Cleveland Clinic said.
The cause of Boebert’s diagnosis is unknown, but her campaign said “dehydration, travel and extended periods of sitting” could have been factors.
There are “no significant concerns” for her “long-term health and no hindrance to her ability to perform her duties as a congresswoman”, they added, but it’s unclear when she’ll be back in Washington DC.
Boebert represents Colorado’s third congressional district but is seeking a seat in the state’s fourth district, a more Republican-friendly area.
