F

irst Lady Ani Yudhoyono is in stable condition after three doctors from the President’s medical team completed an operation to remove her gallbladder at Gatot Soebroto Army Central Hospital (RSPAD) in Central Jakarta on Friday.

Presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his family thanked the Indonesian people for their prayers and support during the procedure.

“The surgery went smoothly this morning. [Ani] is now resting to recover her health,” Julian said.

After doctors discovered that Ani’s gallbladder was inflamed and that the she had gallstones on Wednesday, the First Lady was taken to the hospital, Dr. Aris Wibudi, the chief of Yudhoyono’s medical staff, said.

“We successfully removed the First Lady’s gallbladder, including the stones inside it. We did not have any difficulties in the surgery,” Aris told reporters after the one-hour operation.

The President spent Thursday night at the hospital and accompanied his wife during the surgery.

The Yudhoyonos’ two sons, Agus Harimurti and Edhie Baskoro, and their daughters-in-law were also seen at the hospital on Friday.

Aris said that the surgeons used a laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure to remove the First Lady’s gallbladder through several three half-centimeter incisions in her abdomen.

The doctors inserted a lighted scope attached to a video camera into one incision, while using a video monitor to guide them, as they inserted their surgical instruments into another incision to remove the First Lady’s gallbladder.

The method ensured that patients recovered quickly, Aris said, as surgeons did not need to use scalpels or make large incisions during the procedure.

Julian said that if the First Lady made a speedy recovery as expected, the Palace would stick to its original plans for Ani to accompany the President on state visits to China, Hong Kong, and South Korea between March 22 and 29.

“However, it will depend on the assessment of the doctors who have continuously been observing the progress of the First Lady’s recovery,” Julian said.

Aris previously said that some patients needed as little as two days to recover from laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedures.

However, Aris declined to comment on what caused Ani’s health problems, saying he did not want to confuse the public.

In late December, Ani was hospitalized for typhoid and spent five days at RSPAD, celebrating New Year’s Eve from a hospital bed.