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Former Vice President Mike Pence undergoes surgery for a pacemaker implant

WASHINGTON — Former Vice President Mike Pence is recovering after undergoing surgery Wednesday to have a pacemaker implanted.

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Pence, 61, had the surgery in suburban Washington after experiencing a slow heart rate, his office said in a statement on Thursday.

“The routine surgery was successful, and he is expected to fully recover and return to normal activity in the coming days,” Pence’s office said in a statement.

In 2016, Pence was diagnosed with an abnormality in the electrical impulses of his heart, known as a left bundle branch block, The New York Times reported. The condition reduces the heart’s pumping capacity and can sometimes result in a low heartbeat, which can be dangerous, the newspaper reported.

The procedure took place at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus in Falls Church, Virginia, the Indianapolis Star reported.

“I am grateful for the swift professionalism and care of the outstanding doctors, nurses and staff at Inova Heart and Vascular Institute, including Dr. Brett Atwater and Dr. Behnam Tehrani,” Pence said in a statement. “I also appreciate the consultation of my longtime Indiana physicians, Dr. Michael Busk and Dr. Charles Taliercio at Ascension St. Vincent. My family has been truly blessed by the work of these dedicated healthcare professionals.”

The announcement comes a week after Pence announced a new conservative political advocacy group, called Advancing American Freedom. The former vice president also recently announced an upcoming memoir, which will be published in 2023, the Star reported.

During the 2016 campaign, Busk said Pence had a history of seasonal allergies, heartburn and the bundle block, the Times reported. Busk said the condition was “asymptomatic” that would not impair his ability to serve as vice president.

Pence’s father, who smoked, died of a heart attack at age 58, the newspaper reported. Pence does not smoke, and physical examinations he underwent during his four years in office confirmed that he was in good health, according to the Times.

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