Brazil Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro Undergoes Second Procedure for Persistent Hiccups During Hospital Stay
Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, underwent a second phrenic nerve block procedure as part of treatment for persistent hiccups while hospitalized. The condition has been stable according to his medical team. Bolsonaro has been in hospital since Christmas Eve after being allowed temporary release from prison for a hernia repair surgery. Originally imprisoned in September with a 27-year sentence for plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election results, he was permitted to leave prison by Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes at the request of his defense lawyers.
The hernia surgery was successful, but the persistent hiccups remained. Doctors performed a minimally invasive, non-surgical right-sided phrenic nerve block on Saturday aimed at the phrenic nerve which controls the diaphragm. A left-side procedure was postponed until Monday to reduce risks. Dr Claudio Birolini indicated that Bolsonaro is expected to be discharged on January 1 if his recovery continues without complications. After discharge, he will return to serving his sentence at a federal police jail in Brasilia.
Bolsonaro’s wife, Michelle Bolsonaro, shared that her husband has endured nine months of struggle and anguish with daily hiccups and has stayed by his side throughout the hospitalization. The former president has faced ongoing health problems since being stabbed in a 2018 election campaign attack and has undergone multiple abdominal surgeries since then. While hospitalized, Bolsonaro also endorsed his son Flavio Bolsonaro's 2026 presidential bid in a statement.
