Ginsburg Hospitalized for Non-Surgical Procedure

July 30, 2020 — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has been hospitalized again for a “minimally invasive” procedure, the Washington Post. reported Wednesday night.

Last year, Ginsburg, 87, received a bile duct stent, and the new procedure is a small “revision,” her physicians said.

“According to her doctors, stent revisions are common occurrences and the procedure, performed using endoscopy and medical imaging guidance, was done to minimize the risk of future infection,” court spokeswoman Kathleen Arberg said in a statement. “The justice is resting comfortably and expects to be released from the hospital by the end of the week.”

It’s been a tough month, health-wise, for Ginsburg. On July 17 she announced that she underwent chemotherapy to help fight a recurrence of pancreatic cancer, CNN reported.

The cancer has arisen once more, this time in her liver, according to a report from the court. Cutting-edge immunotherapy had been tried to shrink the tumor, but it wasn’t effective. Standard chemotherapy does appear to be working, however.

Standard chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is a drug called gemcitabine, CNN said.

Immunotherapy “proved unsuccessful,” Ginsburg said in the court statement. “The chemotherapy course, however, is yielding positive results. Satisfied that my treatment course is now clear, I am providing this information.”

Ginsburg said that she feels “fully able” to continue in her post on the court.

“I have often said I would remain a member of the court as long as I can do the job full steam. I remain fully able to do that,” she said.

As to her health, Ginsburg elaborated that, “My most recent scan on July 7 indicated significant reduction of the liver lesions and no new disease. I am tolerating chemotherapy well and am encouraged by the success of my current treatment. I will continue bi-weekly chemotherapy to keep my cancer at bay, and am able to maintain an active daily routine. Throughout, I have kept up with opinion writing and all other court work.”

Ginsburg had two cancerous nodules removed from her left lung in late 2018, and was first treated for pancreatic cancer in August 2019. She had colon cancer in 1999.