Successful surgery for Mubarak
CAIRO, Egypt -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has undergone successful back surgery in Germany to correct a slipped disk, Egypt's health minister said.
Mohamed Awad Tagaldin told Egyptian state television that doctors in Munich operated on Mubarak, 76, Saturday morning.
"The president was moved into the operation room then the operation was completed and the surgery ended successfully thank God," Reuters quoted Tagaldin as saying.
Heinz-Michael Mayer, head of the spinal unit at Munich's Orthopedic Center, said the physiotherapy Mubarak had been undergoing was not relieving the pain as quickly as expected, and he advised the president to have the surgery.
"This morning we told the president about this and that he should have an operation, and he agreed immediately," Reuters quoted Mayer as saying.
Mayer said doctors located the problem during the surgery and removed the cartilage that had been putting pressure on Mubarak's spine.
"President Mubarak ... is in a very good state and ... tomorrow morning we expect he will be able to move out of bed and in the next few days he should be able to walk," Mayer said.
Mubarak, accompanied by his wife, Suzanne, sons Gamal and Alaa and the health minister, arrived in Germany on June 20.
It was unclear when he would be able to return to Egypt. Mubarak has delegated his duties to Prime Minister Atef Obeid during his absence.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
