Sırrı Süreyya Önder, a prominent MP from Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, remains in critical condition following emergency open-heart surgery, doctors at Florence Nightingale Hospital in İstanbul said on Thursday.
Önder, 62, was rushed to hospital late Tuesday night around 22:30 local time (GMT +3) after suffering acute chest pain. Medical teams diagnosed a rupture in his aortic artery and immediately took him into surgery at approximately 23:30.
The operation, which lasted nearly 12 hours, involved a bypass procedure and the replacement of his aortic valve. Although he was transferred to intensive care on Wednesday and initially responded well to treatment, doctors said the right side of his heart was still not functioning effectively.
In their latest bulletin, hospital authorities stated: “Mr Sırrı Süreyya Önder remains in intensive care. His general condition is unchanged, maintaining stability in line with yesterday’s parameters. Treatments continue against infection and inflammation. He remains high-risk, and his condition is still life-threatening.”
Önder is a well-known political figure in Turkey, celebrated for his role in past peace initiatives between the Turkish state and Kurdish groups. His sudden hospitalisation has sparked concern among supporters across the political spectrum.
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