Rep. Lauren Boebert has emergency surgery, diagnosed with rare disorder during campaign

Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot and was diagnosed with May-Thurner syndrome, she announced Tuesday evening.

The Republican congresswoman, 37, was admitted to UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland after she experienced swelling in her upper left leg.

“After undergoing a CT Scan, doctors found an acute blood clot and diagnosed her with May-Thurner Syndrome, which is a rare condition that disrupts blood flow,” a statement on Facebook from her campaign read.

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Doctors scheduled and performed surgery on Boebert on Tuesday morning to remove the blood clot and add a stent to address her symptoms.

May-Thurner syndrome is a rare vascular condition in which an artery compresses the left iliac vein in the pelvis, blocking off blood flow from the leg back to the heart, according to UPMC.

Surgery is performed on some patients to add a stent, a small tube of metal mesh, to restore blood flow by opening up the blocked vein.

In some cases, patients may not have symptoms, but over time could develop swelling, venous ulcers and blood clots that could lead to life-threatening problems including strokes and heart attacks.

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The cause of Boebert’s diagnosis is unknown, but her campaign says “dehydration, travel, and extended periods of sitting” were identified as potential factors.

Women between the ages of 20 and 45 who have given birth are also more likely to have May-Thurner syndrome.

Boebert thanked her medical staff and said she was looking forward to making a full recovery and getting back to Congress “to continue fighting for Colorado.”

“I want to thank Dr. Rebecca Bade and the entire team at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies for their great care and providing helpful insight on my recent diagnosis,” Boebert added.

“We successfully performed surgery on the Congresswoman this morning and expect her to make a full recovery,” said Bade, a hospitalist at UCHealth.

No timeline has been set for Boebert’s return to Washington, DC.

Her hospitalization comes as she vies for Colorado’s 4th District seat in the upcoming November election.

The two-term congresswoman, who currently represents the Centennial State’s 3rd District, announced in December she would not seek re-election for her current seat as she goes after the more GOP-friendly district.

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Former Republican Rep. Ken Buck held the 4th District seat from 2015 until his resignation on March 22. 

Boebert ruled out running for the seat in a special election, as it could “imperil the already very slim House Republican majority by resigning my current seat,” she said last month.

Following Buck’s resignation, the GOP’s hold in the House fell to a 218-213 majority.