Kennedy Doctors: Surgery Was "successful"

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) underwent "successful" surgery Monday to treat a malignant brain tumor, according to his doctors.

"I am pleased to report that Senator Kennedy's surgery was successful and accomplished our goals," said Dr. Allan Friedman, the top neurosurgeon at Duke University.

"Senator Kennedy was awake during the resection,” Friedman said, “and should therefore experience no permanent neurological affects from the surgery."

The 3 ½- hour operation took place at the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, where Kennedy is expected to stay for about a week. Later, he plans to undergo chemotherapy and radiation treatments back in Massachusetts.

After a seizure last month at his Cape Cod home, the senator was diagnosed with a malignant glioma, a lethal type of brain tumor.

Family spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter told The Associated Press that Kennedy has told his wife, Victoria: "I feel like a million bucks. I think I'll do that again tomorrow." 

Kennedy's fellow Massachusetts Democrat, Sen. John F. Kerry, said he spoke with Kennedy before the operation and found “his spirits were very high”

“He was very confident about what they were going to do,” Kerry said.

Friedman called the surgery “the first step in Senator Kennedy's treatment plan" and outlined the way forward.

"After a brief recuperation, he will begin targeted radiation at Massachusetts General Hospital and chemotherapy treatment,” Friedman said. “I hope that everyone will join us in praying for Senator Kennedy to have an uneventful and robust recovery."