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Anne Warden, Thompson's Washington, DC-based communications director, said the congressman was suffering from diverticulitis, an inflammation of the large intestine.
Thompson's surgery took place on Sunday at St. Helena Hospital, where he remained on Monday, Warden said.
The surgical procedure is a common one and Thompson suffered no complications, Warden added.
Thompson's doctors expect him to make a speedy recovery, said Warden.
“He will spend a few days in the hospital and then return to his home in St. Helena,” she said. “It’s anticipated that he’ll be fully active in four weeks.”
Congress is expected to recess for a winter break this week, said Warden, with the session resuming on Jan. 15.
Warden said Thompson scheduled the surgery for this week because it's the only time of year when he could find enough time away from his duties in the House of Representatives to recover.
However, he's still likely to miss a few votes while off for recovery, Warden said.
According to the Mayo Clinic's Web site, diverticulitis develops from a condition called diverticulosis, which is caused by small, bulging pouches in the digestive tract.
The condition is common in people over age 40, according to the Mayo Clinic, and its frequency goes up with age; more than 50 percent of the US population over the age of 60 has the condition.
When the pouches become inflamed or infected, the resulting condition is diverticulitis, which can result in several symptoms, most notably severe abdominal pain, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Serious diverticulitis cases like Thompson's require surgery, according to the Mayo Clinic. The most common form of corrective surgery removes the diseased portion of the intestine.
Age, lack of exercise and not enough fiber in the diet all are risk factors for developing diverticulitis, according to the Mayo Clinic.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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