Zsa Zsa Gabor's Husband Must Decide on 'Risky' Operation for Actress

By PopEater Staff Posted Jan 6th 2011 09:17PM

Prince Frederic von Anhalt tells TMZ that he's faced with a life or death decision about his wife, actress Zsa Zsa Gabor. The Prince says that Gabor's physicians have told him putting the 93-year-old actress under anesthesia in order to operate on her infected leg is "very risky."

How risky? Prince von Anhalt says that doctors say there's a 50 percent chance she would survive the procedure. The Prince says the other option is continuing the antibiotics for the next three months, but that they could damage the actress's fragile kidneys.

Gabor was first rushed to the hospital Sunday in an effort to save her leg from amputation after a growing lesion began to show the onset of gangrene. Publicist John Blanchette says doctors at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center began treating Gabor with powerful antibiotics in hopes of avoiding having to amputate her right leg below the knee.

Gabor has been hospitalized numerous times since a July 17 fall at her home in Bel Air, Calif., left her with a broken hip that required surgery. The actress's condition deteriorated quickly after hip replacement surgery a few days later, and she remained hospitalized for the following three weeks.

She was again hospitalized in November after complaining of pain and swelling in her legs, which the ailing actress's private physician diagnosed as a "massive blood clot."

TMZ reports that a decision on the surgery is likely to be made by week's end.

Tags: Prince Frederic von Anhalt, zsa zsa gabor

Comments

(66)

Thursday 06 January

By ZOLTON

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My mother knew the Gabor sisters,she was from Hungary and she told me of how she tried to see her years ago,I hope that her leg gets better and she get to live a little longer,I hope to have her live and remind me of my mother Olga

Friday 07 January

By ruta

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Sitting here with my Gram, Letta Mikolics, who came from gypsy
beginnings. I read your post to her. She mentions Olga...mckee port, magyar queen, stuffed animal?, tooth?, tarot, zsa zsa.
Odd maybe, but she's 96.

By eruyhet

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Every DAY our kids die in Iraq.They dont live to 92. But Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld sure are leading happy lives.oh great article ,My boyfriend and i both think so ...He is almost 11year older than me .i met him via uniform'edmeet.c 'oma nice place for s'ee'king Army, Navy, Mari'nes, Air Force, Police Force and their admires.just love it

By johnson

I would rather be the one who decides my risky operation!

By Mary Lou

Instead of giving her general anethesia....why don't they give her an epidural to remove the bottom portion of her infected leg?

By criterion29

simply,, epidural could kill her instanly . general is risky as well.

Saturday 08 January

By grhilton

An epi for an amputation? Wow, stupidity abounds

By sedunning

I love it how people's family's always talk about "not wanting to take a chance" with people in their 90's. For people that old, every day is a risk. They are alreay 10-15 years past the average life span, and I'll let you in on a little secret: we are all going to die. Most of us before we get to 93.

By Jeanette

I agree with your point and would like to add to it. When she fell out of bed and subsequently had hip replacement surgery, I couldn't help but wonder why a hip replacement would have been done in the first place. She was already bedridden; did they believe a hip replacement would get her up and running marathons? Ever seen how one is performed? It's not a gentle procedure and in her condition, it would seem the risks would have outweighed any benefit. Why put a woman of her age and health status through it? Certainly not to improve her quality of life; it's been downhill ever since, as might have been predicted. There's a point where you don't do procedures just because they exist. Hitting another birthday is pointless if you have no decent quality of life. I wonder if she is still able to express her wishes or if these decisions are being made for her--and what are the motives behind them.

By L.C.

Jeanette, you're mistaken about hip replacements. I just had one, and the procedure only took just over an hour. I was walking with help that afternoon, out of the hospital in 2 days and walking without a cane in four weeks. You may be thinking of the "old days" of hip surgery.

By ahungarian

I sincerely wish Zsa Zsa the best. A 50% chance of survival of this operation is not good. It is doubtful she is strong enough to make any decision regarding this procedure. May the Good Lord help her kindly and with peace. Giving Zsa Zsa and her family my best regards and of course, hoping for a miracle.

By mrsgtwo

Life and death is a personal decision. I'm there and folks, it's not easy

By eptcb4evr

May God watch over you , a friend of ours has been fighting and battling Cancer for over 10 years as she puts it. " Death is just to permanent for me

By Covington

Without knowing more of her medical history, it is difficult to say whether the surgery should be done. Many patients her age, and older, have had surgery and done well. Would consider her feelings about it, if she is alert and oriented. However, suspect she is probably frail and weak at this point. If it appears her quality of life would not improve, would think twice before proceding.

By roger kiser

Oh please! This old bag is close to being 167 years old. She supposedly had her first face-lift back when Woodrow Wilson was president. The husband, Prince Weirdo, should tell the doctors to just put Zsa Zsa to sleep. That's what you do with very old dogs.

By Elaine

Just because she is up in age and cant do what she once did, should she just be thrown aside? What if this was your mother, or you? You dont stop caring or treating people because they hit a certin age! Hot uncaring of you! Shame!!!

By OH *ELL

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I can't help but wonder what makes you so special that you can make such nasty remarks. Suggest that you go to Hades and stay there. I hope that you don't have nay older family members as you would more then likely put them in a bag and drop them off a bridge into a river.

By bac

I lost my Mom at 73 shortly after an amputation. I think it is hard when someone is so sick that their quality of life is non existant. Sometimes we just have need to let God take the lead amd wait for his answer. Ms. Gabor has had a wonderful life, do not let the end be so tramatic that the wonderful life is lost.

By Msmich

I wish her well and hope she does not have to suffer, but wonder why she was able to be given anesthesia for hip surgery, but now it's risky. In any case, I feel she should make the decision.

By Joseph

Why start citting this woman apart to keep her alive, she's 93....Let her go already, she's going to go anyway soon.

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