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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Eye On Boise

Governor out for shoulder surgery

Idaho Gov. Butch Otter underwent rotator cuff surgery on his left shoulder this morning, according to his office, to repair an injury that occurred several weeks ago while he was clearing brush on his ranch near Star. “Fortunately it is not as serious as the one I had in February on my right shoulder, but I was working out at the ranch, fell over backwards and jammed my left shoulder and tore the rotator cuff, the tendon that attaches the bicep muscle to the shoulder and one of the tendons that’s in the shoulder," Otter said. "But it is significantly less than what I had to go through in February of this year.”

The governor was at Idaho Elks Rehabilitation Hospital, and his orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Michael J. Curtin of Intermountain Orthopaedics in Boise, said he'll likely need eight to 10 weeks of rehabilitation and physical therapy after today’s operation. The governor's office reported, "He will be working at home for a few days, but the procedure will have no impact on his ability to perform any of his duties as Governor." Otter said the injury occurred "about a month or five weeks ago." By my count, this is the governor's fourth surgery since he's been in office: Two shoulder, one hip, and one eyelid.



Eye On Boise

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