Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen surgery on broken ribs called ‘success’

By SHELLY KULHANEK – Lincoln Journal Star, Neb. (TNS)

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen underwent a second successful surgery on Christmas Day to help stabilize the broken ribs he suffered when he fell from a horse on Sunday.

“The procedure was a success and Gov. Pillen was returned to the step-down unit where he will continue his recovery,” a news release sent early Thursday morning from the governor’s office said.

The surgery at Nebraska Medicine in Omaha was expected to take about four hours and require anesthesia, his office had said late Wednesday afternoon.

Jim Pillen

Pillen

Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly was to be acting governor during the surgery, as is required by the Nebraska Constitution.

The surgery — known as rib fixation — involved stabilizing the broken ribs using metal plates and was done to promote stronger long-term healing, assist with pain management and reduce the chances of complications.

Rib fixation is increasingly considered a treatment option for broken ribs, particularly in cases of severe injuries or multiple rib fractures. In recent years, surgeons at the Nebraska Medical Center have been involved in research exploring the procedure’s effectiveness in such injuries.

Rib fractures can be very painful, make breathing difficult and prevent patients from moving, which can lead to complications.

Doctors said Pillen, who is 68, was an ideal candidate for the procedure based on his health and active lifestyle.

The governor’s office said there have been no new issues regarding the injuries to his kidney and lung, and his spleen continues to heal following the coil embolization surgery he underwent shortly after admission on Sunday.

The governor was expected to remain in the hospital for several more days for recovery and observation.

Pillen was bucked from a horse while riding near Columbus with his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter on Sunday afternoon.

The fall fractured seven ribs on his left side and partially collapsed his lung, doctors had said. He also suffered fractures to a vertebrae and minor lacerations to his spleen and a kidney.

Pillen was taken to Columbus Community Hospital by ambulance and later by helicopter to Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, a Level I Trauma Center, where he arrived in stable condition.

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