Lady Thatcher to have pin inserted into arm

Published on 18/06/2009 23:13

FORMER prime minister Lady Thatcher will have a "routine" operation to insert a pin into her broken upper arm following a fall, her spokesman said.

The 83-year-old has been recovering in hospital since breaking her upper left arm last week but doctors have decided that the injury is not healing as quickly as they would like.

Spokesman Mark Worthington said yesterday: "Lady Thatcher is to undergo a routine surgical procedure to insert a pin into the bone of her upper arm in order to assist the healing process. Therefore she will be remaining in hospital for the time being."

Lady Thatcher was initially expected to leave hospital last Friday until doctors decided to keep her in as a precaution, but a spokesman stressed that she was otherwise well.

Earlier yesterday, Sir Mark Thatcher said his mother was "very well", and "alert and talking about Ladies Day at Ascot".

He acknowledged the family's concern saying: "I think every son is always worried about his mother's health whatever her age."

He said his twin sister Carol had not visited their mother because she was recovering from a recent operation on her eye.

"But she has been in contact with me on a regular basis, she just can't make it down here."