Sen. Rand Paul undergoes lung surgery connected to 2017 assault

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) underwent surgery to remove part of his lung that was damaged after a 2017 assault.

Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Credit: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) underwent surgery to remove part of his lung that was damaged after a 2017 assault.

The junior senator from Kentucky is recovering after an operation to remove part of his lung removed.

Sen. Rand Paul announced on Twitter Monday morning he had a section of his lung removed in a surgery over the weekend. His lung was apparently damaged when he was assaulted by a neighbor in November 2017, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

Paul said he plans to return to Capitol Hill in September.

>> Read more trending news

The procedure was done at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, unlike his previous surgery to repair damage from the attack, the Louisville Courier Journal reported.

In January, he went to Canada for hernia surgery to repair damage related to the assault. He said he chose the facility because it was a hospital that specialized in the type of surgery and was also economical, according to the newspaper.

The neighbor who attacked Paul in 2017 was Rene Boucher. He pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to 30 days in prison, The New York Times reported in 2018. He was upset over a pile of debris.

The attack left Paul with broken ribs and caused pneumonia.

Both senators from Kentucky are recovering after medical issues this weekend.

Sen. Mitch McConnell broke his shoulder when he tripped and fell on his patio at his Louisville, Kentucky, home, The Associated Press reported.

McConnell is expected to work from home, his spokesperson said in a statement.

The Senate is on a five-week recess which began Thursday, the AP reported.

About the Author