Summary: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had heart surgery on Wednesday morning to have a stent implanted in her heart due to a blockage.
The oldest member of the United States Supreme Court, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, had a stent implanted in her heart on Wednesday, according to USA Today.
The stent was implanted to take care of a blockage in her right coronary artery.
Kathy Arberg, a spokesperson for the Supreme Court, said that the blockage was only discovered on Tuesday night at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Ginsberg was experiencing discomfort when exercising, which led her to seek treatment.
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Ginsburg has been on the bench since 1993 and is expected to be released from the hospital within 48 hours.
She has yet to miss a single day in court even though she has struggled with multiple health problems over the past 15 years. In 1999, Ginsburg was diagnosed with colon cancer. She underwent surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. In 2009, she underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer.
After being discharged from Washington Hospital Center in 1999, Ginsburg became an exercise buff, working out twice a week with a personal trainer in the gym of the court.
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Ginsburg is just the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court and rumors about her retirement have been raging since last year. She continues to deny these rumors despite pressure from liberal allies to resign from the bench. Allies want her to step down while President Barack Obama is still in office so he can nominate someone to replace her.
Following the Republicans’ takeover of the Senate, it has become less likely that Ginsburg will step down from her post unless there is a major health emergency. The power held by the Republicans in the Senate gives them veto power over any potential nominations from Obama.
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