U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s brain swelling subsides; doctors reattach skull section

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Updated: February 7, 2012 1:46PM

Doctors on Tuesday reattached a 4-inch by 8-inch piece of U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk’s skull that was removed to ease swelling in his brain following his Jan. 21 stroke.

“The swelling in Senator Kirk’s brain has subsided and this morning we were able to reattach the portion of his skull that had been removed following his stroke,” said Dr. Richard Fessler, neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“This is an important milestone in his recovery and a step toward the next phase, rehabilitation. He remains in good condition,”

Kirk, 52, suffered the stroke on the right side of his brain, which governs motor function; the left side governs vs. cognitive functions.

— Sun-Times Media