Uddhav’s angioplasty goes smoothly

With a number of health problems plaguing the family lately, the Thackerays could heave a sigh of relief on Sunday as Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav’s angioplasty procedure went off without a hitch.

With a number of health problems plaguing the family lately, the Thackerays could heave a sigh of relief on Sunday as Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav’s angioplasty procedure went off without a hitch.

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This was Uddhav’s second such procedure — he had had three coronary blockages fixed with five stents in July this year.

According to sources at Lilavati hospital, Bandra, the procedure lasted about an hour, and Uddhav will be discharged on Monday or Tuesday.

An angioplasty is a procedure in which a balloon is pushed into a blood vessel to flatten the blockage, leaving a stent to open the narrowed or blocked artery.

Uddhav, who was driven to the hospital at around 10am, was accompanied by his wife Rashmi Thackeray. MNS chief Raj Thackeray was at the hospital for the duration of the procedure and left to meet Bal Thackeray at his residence, Matoshree, soon after.
Shiv Sena MP and spokesperson Sanjay Raut, who was at the hospital, said, “The procedure involved fixing one stent to remove the block. Uddhavji’s health is fine now. He even spoke to Balasaheb afterwards,” Of Raj’s presence at the hospital, Raut said “The entire family was together to support Uddhavji”.

Meanwhile, veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar paid a visit to Matoshree on Sunday to check on the health of the Sena chief, with whom the Mangeshkar family shares a close association. According to sources, Mangeshkar inquired after the health of both Uddhav and Bal Thackeray and spent some time chatting with the octogenarian.

Bal Thackeray has been suffering from illnesses of the pancreas and lungs for a while.