Former President Derviş Eroğlu underwent a successful operation on Wednesday to open a blocked carotid artery.

Eroğlu who is said to be doing well is expected to be transferred out of post-surgery intensive care today.

The operation carried out by Prof. Dr. Aşkın Ali Korkmaz, Prof. Dr. Barçın Özcem and Assistant Prof. Dr. Özlem Balcıoğlu from the Near East University Hospital’s Cardiovascular Surgery Department lasted for nearly two hours.

Speaking at a press conference after the surgery, the Chief Physician at the hospital Prof. Dr. Müfti Yenen, said that the former president who has been receiving treatment at the hospital since the beginning of the month had been operated on after it was detected that 80 per cent of his carotid artery was blocked.

Also speaking, the head of the Cardiovascular Surgery Department Prof. Dr. Aşkın Ali Korkmaz said they had carried out a procedure called a carotid endarterectomy which involves the surgeon opening the affected carotid artery and removing the plaques. The artery is repaired with either stitches or a graft.

He added that president Eroğlu’s surgery was a success.

The professor reminded that the former president had undergone a coronary by-pass in the past and more recently had been placed with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) to monitor and regulate his heart beat.

“Mr Eroğlu is now awake but resting in ICU. We are planning to remove him from intensive care in the morning but he will remain in hospital under observation for several more days until his condition stabilises,” he said.