Thai king undergoes blood clot surgery

BANGKOK, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej was in surgery for nearly eight hours Saturday after a blood clot in his leg began restricting blood flow to his brain.

The 79-year-old monarch was taken to Bangkok's Siriraj Hospital for the emergency surgery after the blood clot in his right leg caused him to suffer a cerebral ischemia, the Thai News Agency reported.

Cerebral ischemia occurs when the brain does not receive enough blood to function normally. The medical condition can be caused by various diseases or by blocked arteries, such as the one caused by Adulyadej's blood clot.

The news agency said that after serving as the king of Thailand for more than 60 years, Adulyadej has become highly revered throughout the Asian country. Consequently, the king's health is paramount to the nation and has been the focus of a team of royal physicians who monitor his daily health.