Condoleezza Rice to have minor surgery

US National security adviser Condoleezza Rice, who was nominated by President Bush Tuesday to be the next secretary of state, will have a minor surgical procedure Friday at a Washington hospital, NSC spokesman Sean McCormack said.

Rice will undergo embolization of uterine fibroids, which will not require anesthesia, he said. She is expected to go home on Saturday and return to work on Monday, he said.

Uterine fibroids are among the most common tumors in women, CNN's Sanjay Gupta said. They are not cancerous and typically are not dangerous.

About three-quarters of women have the tumors and don't know it, he said adding that larger fibroids can cause symptoms including pelvic pressure or pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged menstruation, incontinence, leg and back pain and in some cases infertility.

Gupta said embolization is the most common treatment for fibroids. It involves injecting a small particle into the artery that feeds the tumor to block its blood supply, which eventually kills the tumor.

Rice, 50, will not travel to Chile with US President Bush for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit this weekend, NSC spokesman Jim Wilkinson said.

Instead, Rice's top deputy, Stephen Hadley, will make the trip.

Bush has named Hadley to fill her post when she moves to the State Department.

Source: Agencies