Garland to undergo general anesthesia next week for routine surgery

Attorney General Merrick Garland will undergo general anesthesia next Thursday for a routine surgical procedure to treat a prostate condition, the Justice Department announced.

The department said Garland was diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia, an enlargement of the prostate gland that is not cancerous and affects millions of older men, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“The surgery typically lasts less than one hour and requires general anesthesia,” the Justice Department said in a release. “During the procedure, the deputy attorney general will assume the duties of the attorney general.”

Garland’s condition is the most common prostate problem for men older than age 50, according to the NIH. The condition affects 50 percent of men aged 51 to 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80.

The procedure will involve removing enlarged prostate tissue to treat the condition, according to the release.

The department said Garland, 69, will remain in the hospital for one to two days following the procedure for observation, and he is expected to return to the office the week of July 11.

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