Brazil ex-president Bolsonaro again has procedure to treat hiccups

SAO PAULO, Dec 30 - Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who was temporarily released from prison last week for hernia treatment, underwent an unscheduled procedure on Tuesday to treat persistent hiccups, according to his doctors.

Bolsonaro, 70, had already undergone two surgical procedures at a Brasilia hospital for the same reason since Saturday, as well as hernia surgery.

The ex-president underwent supplementary "phrenic nerve block procedure" after presenting new episodes of hiccups, according to a medical note released late on Tuesday.

In medical literature, the phrenic nerve is described as a vital nerve originating in the neck that controls the diaphragm, the primary muscle for breathing.

Bolsonaro will undergo a digestive endoscopy on Wednesday to assess gastroesphageal reflux, the note said.

Earlier on Tuesday, his wife Michelle Bolsonaro said in an Instagram post that doctors opted for the new procedure after the right-wing leader had persistent hiccups since Tuesday morning.

In November, Bolsonaro began serving a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat. He left prison last Wednesday for hernia surgery, authorized by a Supreme Court justice.

His doctors then decided on additional procedures to treat his hiccups. Bolsonaro, who was stabbed in the abdomen during a 2018 campaign event, has a history of hospitalizations and surgeries related to the attack. REUTERS