PSA: A.G. Merrick Garland to Undergo Routine Medical Procedure

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE _ Thursday, June 30, 2022

One week from today, on Thursday, July 7, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland will undergo a routine surgical procedure.

The Attorney General has been diagnosed with benign enlargement of the prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is the “the most common prostate problem for men older than age 50,” according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

It affects approximately half of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80, according to NIH.

To treat BPH, Attorney General Garland will undergo transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), a medical procedure to remove enlarged prostate tissue. The surgery typically lasts less than one hour and requires general anesthesia. During the procedure, the Deputy Attorney General will assume the duties of the Attorney General.

As is customary following this type of surgery, Attorney General Garland will remain at the hospital for one to two days for observation and monitoring. He expects to return to the office the week of July 11.

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