Barbara Bush to leave intensive care

HOUSTON, March 7 (UPI) -- Barbara Bush, wife of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, was ready to move out of a Houston hospital's intensive care unit Saturday, a spokeswoman said.

Jean Becker, the former president's spokeswoman, confirmed the former first lady would be relocated to another section of Houston's Methodist Hospital as part of her recovery from open heart surgery, CNN said.

Bush, 83, underwent a 2 1/2-hour surgery Wednesday at the Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center to replace a hardened aortic valve.

Becker said Bush would remain under hospital care for most of the next week, CNN reported.

Dr. Gerald Lawrie said Thursday that replacing Bush's valve with a pig valve was a "routine procedure," adding he expected a smooth recovery.

"From our perspective, this was a very routine procedure, and we expect her to make an excellent recovery," Lawrie said.