Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was treated Tuesday for a gallstone that was causing an infection, the court said in a statement.
She underwent nonsurgical treatment for a benign gallbladder condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The condition was detected Monday after the court’s historic telephone session for oral arguments. Tests confirmed that a gallstone had migrated to her cystic duct, causing a blockage and infection.
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Ginsburg, 87, is “resting comfortably” at the hospital and expects to remain there for a day or two, the court said.
“Our prayers are with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tweeted. “We wish her a speedy recovery as we send our love and well wishes!”
Justices resumed hearing oral arguments by conference call this week after a two-month hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Ginsburg asked questions during the court’s telephone argument sessions Monday and Tuesday, and the court said she plans to take part in Wednesday’s session, as well.
The court is hearing a challenge to Trump administration rules that would allow employers broader exemptions from providing contraceptive care to their employees.
Ginsburg was treated last summer for a cancerous tumor on her pancreas, and she underwent surgery in late 2018 for lung cancer.
She has vowed to stay on the Supreme Court, which is staffed by lifetime presidential appointments, as long as her health permits.
