By Steve Holland and Christian Martinez
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House said on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump is experiencing swelling in his lower legs and bruising on his right hand, after photographs emerged of Trump with swollen ankles and makeup covering the afflicted part of his hand.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, reading a letter from Trump’s doctor at a press briefing, said both ailments were benign. His leg swelling is from a “common” vein condition, and his hand is bruised from shaking so many hands, she told reporters.
The disclosure sought to put to rest a raft of internet rumors that the 79-year-old Trump might be suffering from a serious ailment based on the photographic evidence.
After Leavitt’s briefing, the White House released the letter from a U.S. Navy officer who is Trump’s physician, Sean Barbabella. It said Trump underwent a suite of tests about the issues.
Barbabella said an ultrasound on the president’s legs “revealed chronic venous insufficiency, a benign and common condition, particularly in individuals over the age of 70.”
The letter said there was no evidence Trump had contracted deep vein thrombosis or arterial disease.
Additional exams identified no signs of heart failure, kidney impairment, or a systemic illness, Barbabella said.
Leavitt told reporters Trump was not experiencing discomfort due to the condition.
Barbabella also said that Trump had bruising on the back of his right hand.
He described this as “consistent with minor soft tissue irritation from frequent handshaking and the use of aspirin, which is taken as part of a standard cardiovascular prevention regimen.”
“President Trump remains in excellent health,” he said.
Kwame Amankwah, a physician who is chief of vascular surgery at the University of Connecticut in Hartford, said chronic venous insufficiency is usually an issue with the lower legs in which the veins have problems sending blood from the legs back to the heart.
It is usually treated with compression stockings and leg elevation, he said.
“Even if he doesn’t have heart disease, the condition needs to be addressed. If it’s not managed with compression stockings and elevation, severe swelling and ulcers can develop, warranting more significant medical interventions,” Amankwah said.
Todd Berland, a physician who is director of outpatient vascular interventions at NYU Langone Health, said chronic venous insufficiency “has no overall effect on life expectancy. It’s a quality-of-life issue, not a quantity of life issue.”
Trump underwent an extensive physical examination on April 11 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington. It said Trump had a normal heart rhythm and no major health problems.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Christian Martinez; additional reporting by Nancy Lapid in Tucson, Arizona; editing by Susan Heavey, Rod Nickel and Deepa Babington)
