Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., underwent surgery Monday for a brain tumor after being admitted to the hospital on an emergency basis.
Meanwhile, Robert P. Casey, the state's Democratic governor, underwent surgery Monday morning for a heart-liver transplant doctors say he needs to save his life.The transplant is the 61-year-old governor's last hope for beating a rare genetic disease that is destroying his organs. The surgery began about 7:30 a.m., with surgeons first removing the diseased heart. The operation was expected to last 12 to 18 hours.
Dan McKenna, a spokesman for Specter, said the three-term senator entered the Hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania on Sunday night. McKenna refused to say what symptoms prompted the 63-year-old Specter to seek emergency care.
Specter's son Shanin, an attorney, said in a statement that doctors believe his father's tumor is benign.
Casey transferred his official duties to Lt. Gov. Mark Singel.
The heart and liver came from a 34-year-old man from the Pittsburgh area, said officials at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. They had no immediate information on how the man died.
Specter is known as a political moderate who is willing to break ranks with fellow Republicans.