Justice Ginsburg Released From Hospital, Returns to Work

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is heading back to work after being hospitalized Thursday evening, the Court announced. The 76-year-old justice felt faint after receiving an iron sucrose infusion for an iron deficiency on Thursday. Ginsburg was treated successfully earlier this year for early-stage pancreatic cancer. She has appeared vigorous in recent public appearances.

Tony Mauro

The National Law Journal

2009-09-25 12:00:00 AM

The Supreme Court's public information office released a positive update on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's condition Friday morning: "Justice Ginsburg was released from Washington Hospital Center this morning and plans to be at work at the Court this afternoon."

Ginsburg was hospitalized late Thursday afternoon after feeling faint in her chambers, the Court announced. The 76-year-old justice had received an iron sucrose infusion an hour earlier. She was being treated for an iron deficiency detected during an assessment of her health in July.

Ginsburg was diagnosed in February with pancreatic cancer. The cancer was detected at an early stage, and she was treated successfully with surgery and chemotherapy. She has appeared vigorous in recent public appearances.

Following is the text of the statement released by the Court Thursday night:

"U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was taken to the Washington Hospital Center this evening after feeling ill in her Chambers earlier in the day. The Justice felt ill at 4:50 p.m., about an hour after an iron sucrose infusion to treat an iron deficiency anemia that was administered at the Office of the Attending Physician.
"The Justice underwent a comprehensive assessment of health in July 2009. This involved medical evaluation, imaging scans, and comprehensive blood tests. The result of this evaluation was that she was in completely normal health with the exception of a low red blood cell count caused by deficiency of iron. Intravenous iron therapy was administered in a standard fashion.
"One hour following the completion of this infusion, she felt faint, developed light headedness and fatigue. Medical assistance was summoned from the Office of the Attending Physician and medical evaluation disclosed a slightly low blood pressure which can occur following this treatment. She was monitored at the Court, blood tests were performed and she was found to be in stable health. Fluids were administered and her symptoms improved, but she was taken as a precaution for evaluation at the Washington Hospital Center at approximately 7:45 p.m."

This article first appeared on The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.