Rumsfeld recovering after shoulder surgery

WASHINGTON, Sep 5 (Reuters) US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld underwent successful elective surgery to repair a shoulder injury described as ''an old athletic injury'' at a military hospital today, the Pentagon said.

Mr Rumsfeld, 74, underwent arthroscopic surgery lasting less than two hours to fix a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, a relatively common sports injury, said Pentagon press secretary Eric Ruff.

''He's fine. He's recovering,''Mr Ruff said, adding that the procedure had been scheduled for several weeks and there were no complications. Mr Ruff said Mr Rumsfeld might be kept overnight at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington.

''It's an old athletic injury,'' said Mr Ruff, without giving the precise cause. ''He was under a lot of discomfort.'' Mr Rumsfeld, the oldest person to serve as defense secretary, is a vigorous former collegiate wrestler who remains very active, frequently playing squash and defeating opponents decades younger than him.

Mr Rumsfeld did not undergo general anesthesia, rather getting local anesthesia, Mr Ruff said. Mr Rumsfeld has temporarily turned over some responsibilities to the Pentagon's No. 2 official, Gordon England.

REUTERS SHB PM2359