Former Taipei mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), who is being detained while on trial on corruption charges, had a kidney stone surgically removed yesterday, according to the hospital in Taipei where the surgery was performed.
Escorted by personnel from the Taipei Detention Center, Ko arrived at the hospital at about 7am for preparatory checks before undergoing the surgery.
Doctors removed one small stone in a laser surgery that lasted about 45 minutes, the hospital said in a statement.
Photo: CNA
Sources from the hospital said the stone removed from Ko’s kidney was relatively small at 1cm by 0.5cm, but it would not have easily come out on its own and therefore surgery was necessary.
It described the surgery as successful and said that Ko’s hydronephrosis would improve significantly.
Soon after the procedure, Ko was transferred to a recovery room at 10:23am.
Ko had recently been confirmed to have hydronephrosis, a condition in which urine builds up in the kidneys, sometimes caused by a blockage in the urinary tract.
Ko’s wife, Peggy Chen (陳佩琪), a physician, had repeatedly complained in recent days about the deterioration of her husband’s health and insisted he needed professional medical care or the illness could result in irreversible damage.
After the surgery, Chen thanked the hospital and said doctors suggested that Ko stay in the hospital for one or two nights for further observation, but the patient said he just wanted to stay for one night.
Ko had a double J tube installed to help him feel the need to urinate, the hospital said, adding that the tube would remain in Ko’s body for about five days.
Drugs were also prescribed and a schedule was set up for follow-up checks, the hospital said.
Ko on Sunday was allowed to briefly leave the detention center to receive off-site medical treatment after he reported “feeling unwell.”
He was sent back to the detention center the same day, as doctors determined his condition was “stable” and did not meet the threshold for a hospital stay.
On March 10, he was allowed to leave the detention center to attend the funeral of his father in Hsinchu. His father, Ko Cheng-fa (柯承發), died aged 92 on Feb. 17.
The former Taiwan People’s Party chairman has been detained since September last year.
He was indicted in December last year on charges of bribery, embezzlement and breach of trust dating back to his second term as Taipei mayor from 2018 to 2022 and during his campaign for president in last year’s election.
Ko Wen-je, who denies the charges, made his first appearance at his trial on March 21.
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