Sports

Ballesteros has 12-hour operation to remove tumour

by LotusFlower | October 15, 2008 at 06:52 am

199 views | 30 Recommendations | 8 comments

Doctors in Madrid have completed a 12-hour operation on golfer Seve Ballesteros to try and remove a brain tumour. Seve has been and still is one of the most respected and popular golfers in the world and messages of goodwill from fans are pouring in to the hospital and to his family.

He collapsed last week and was quickly diagnosed as having a brain tumour. Today's operation was only to be a biopsy but doctors on seeing the severity of his condition decided to move straight to trying to remove the tumour.

18th fairway
a hare breaks cover
from the rough

Seve Ballesteros was today in a stable condition after undergoing 12 hours of surgery to remove a brain tumour.

Doctors, who were scheduled only to perform a biopsy, decided to operate on the 51-year-old Spanish golfer yesterday because of the severity of the situation.

A spokesman for Madrid's La Paz Hospital said: “Seve Ballesteros is conscious and in a stable condition, but may not receive visitors in the coming days until he has recovered from the surgery.”

Ballesteros was admitted to hospital on 6 October after briefly losing consciousness.

The five-times major champion confirmed the illness three days later and said: “Throughout my entire career I have been one of the best at overcoming obstacles on the golf course.

“Now I want to be the best, facing the most difficult game of my life.”

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Rachel Nixon

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:41 on October 15th, 2008

LotusFlower, I like this story. It's good stuff.

LotusFlower

at 07:44 on October 15th, 2008

Hope he makes it - if he does it will be a boost for other sufferers

Christopher Byrne

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:50 on October 15th, 2008

Seve has always been a true professional, even if he was testy at times.

LotusFlower

at 07:54 on October 15th, 2008

hopefully that 'testyness' will help him through

Amy Judd

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 09:58 on October 15th, 2008

LotusFlower, such a sad story

Jon Azpiri

at 14:31 on October 15th, 2008

It does seem that there have been more public figures as of late who are dealing with brain tumours. First, Senator Ted Kennedy, then journalist Martin Bashir, and now Ballesteros. Maybe there is something to recent research that shows that the number of brain tumours are on the rise.

leonmich

at 07:10 on October 16th, 2008

Picture taken at the Heritage Golf & Spa Resort. Portlaoise, Ireland.

leonmich has contributed a photo to this story.

Jon Azpiri

at 08:38 on October 16th, 2008

A rather disheartening update.

It seems that Ballesteros suffered some complications and has undergone another surgery.

Doctors removed a piece of Ballesteros' skull to relieve pressure that was building up on the brain following Tuesday's surgery. The hospital said in a statement that the 51-year-old former golf star is stable but still in intensive care.

On Tuesday, doctors removed a sizable part of Ballesteros' tumor. It was not immediately known if it was malignant.

The hospital said Ballesteros had presented a "decreased level of consciousness by brain swelling," adding that a decompressive craniotomy had been carried out.

Decompressive craniotomy involves part of the skull being removed to allow a swelling brain room to expand. Doctors say it is not uncommon after such operations.